


My Sweet Awkward Love

by Writer58



Category: TMNT (2007), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Ballet, Dancing, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Frosting, Lemon, Mixed Martial Arts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-11-09 01:36:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 67,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17992349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writer58/pseuds/Writer58
Summary: Pretty simple story about a girl falling in love with Leo. Things get a little tricky though when she agrees to help set him up with Karai.Love triangles, jealousy and awkward flirting. All my favorite things! Slow building relationship, but it’ll get more steamy further on ;)





	1. Setting the Stage

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing anything!
> 
> Idk about anyone else out there, but I’m horrible at flirting, so please excuse my own personal awkwardness that is likely going to peek through at the poor characters expense. I’m not entirely sure where this is going tbh, but I hope you guys enjoy the ride!
> 
> This is admittedly a slow build romance, so hang in there ;)
> 
> And of course, suggestions and critiques are always welcome (sometimes I’m a little long winded, I know ha!)

A soft piano plays in the background. It’s delicate notes lilting off the walls in steady time with the dancers before it in a composed classical tune. It’s accompaniment the scuff of well worn ballet slippers gliding over the wooden floor. Each dancer poised, stretching one arm away from them, while the other held lightly to the barre at their side.

“One and two and three, one two and three. Plie now back, two three...”

Precision, uniformity and grace. That’s what we were about; making countless feats look like child’s play. It wasn’t enough to go through the motions of this daily routine. Practice was the cornerstone of who we were as dancers. Our mistress was kind, but strict, knowing it wasn’t enough to be just “good” at what we did. Our feet and bodies were the instruments of artistry. A moving tapestry of rhythm and beauty.

Her eyes roamed over us with the precision of a hawk, looking for any signs of weakness in our form, adjusting the occasional student for posture and appropriate point execution. Your body was taught with concentration, feeling and adjusting to mimic the music from the tips of your toes to your delicately outstretched fingertips. One might consider your movements seductive if not for the grace that followed each gesture. 

Today was the last day of the semester before you got a few months reprieve from your usual 9hr training from hell. By the end of class, everyone was slinking home with their last vestige of strength. The dorm rooms were about 10 blocks away from the dance studio. As you walked through the streets you welcomed the cool night air against your damp skin.

As you shuffled down an alleyway, you begin to wonder what you should have for dinner. Pizza always sounded good but, in general, was off limits since you had to keep your body in top physical form. The prospect of having salad wasn’t really hitting the mark either though. Pizza was pretty much like a salad right? It’s basically just one great big crouton with cheese and, to be fair, one could lump basil into the “leafy green” category.

You were still trying to rationalize the health aspects behind having pizza, when suddenly you saw movement to the left of you. Startled, you jumped back slightly as a trash can came toppling down, spilling out its contents on the wet alley floor. Amongst the pile of rubbish, a flurry of claws and fur appeared from under yesterday’s discarded newspaper. A small malnourished cat shook its frail body; its coat caked in dirt and grime. It’s wary emerald green eyes looked up at you, letting out a pathetically scratchy mew. You let out a sigh of relief and reached a tentative hand out towards the cat.

“Hey buddy, c’mere! I’m not going to hurt you.”

Inching forward you let the cat sniff you. When it didn’t pull away, you took it as a sign that you could get closer. Gently you scratched the backside of the cats ear, earning you a throaty purr. Whether it accepted you or it was simply too weak to fight back, it’s eyes began to close as it nestled its head into your outstretched hand.

Scooping it up, you murmured softly against its forehead, “Poor thing. If you’re ok with it, you can come home with me.”

The cat continued to purr, as if acknowledging his satisfaction with the suggested partnership.

“Hmmm well if you’re going to live with me, we have to give you a name. What should we call you? Brad? No. Steve?” You looked at the cat and rattled off names in your head. “Meh, I’m sure it’ll come to me.”

You went to pick up your dance bag when suddenly the cats eyes shot open and looked at something behind you. Flattening his ears he hissed, digging his claws into your hand in his attempt to escape. “Ow!” Shocked, you let go. Instinctively you swirled round to see what had spooked him. While the alleyway was only dimly illuminated by one street lamp, nothing looked out of the ordinary. You looked back towards the cat scampering away into a nearby abandoned warehouse.

“Hey, wait! Come back!”

Scrambling to your feet, you started jogging towards the warehouse.

As you drew closer, its dilapidated state sent a chill down your spine.

You cringed a little thinking of the horror movies you’d recently seen. Silence of the Lambs coming to the forefront. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you slapped your cheeks. _Just grow a pair of lady balls already girl. You still have the “virgin” ace up your sleeve, and those people never get killed in scary movies._

Steeling your nerves, you glared at the warehouse. Shoving the door open, you stepped inside, unknowingly altering the course of your life forever.

 

* * *

Unlike the image depicted on the outside, the inside was far from abandoned. You stepped further in, shocked to hear so much activity, but still unable to see who or what was causing the noise. Beyond the hundreds of stacked crates, you heard something similar to a huge docking bay. Hundreds of feet shuffled along the cement floor while large moving trucks beeped a warning that they were backing up. What caught your attention most though was the shrill yell of a females voice splitting through the industrial noise.

"You bastards! When my friends get here you are SO dead!"

You froze. That didn't sound good, and whoever was doing the yelling did not sound pleased either. A low voice, dripping with irritation hissed, "Shut it, or else."

The female voice got a little too mouthy for her own good as she shot back, "or else what?" There was a solid thud, and suddenly you heard a different guys voice groan in pain, followed by the dull sound of fists making contact multiple times to some hallow part of the mans body, most likely his stomach. As if that wasn't enough to assert his authority, a higher pitched smack resonated against the crates as knuckles hit flesh. "Casey!!" The girls voice cried in panic.

You knew you were going to regret it, but curiosity got the better of you. Slowly, you peeked around the corner to see a woman with long dark hair tied up with some guy who was now hunched over, blood pouring from his mouth and face. His eye already beginning to swell shut, it's bloated form emphasized by the shiny black and blue bruise around it.

You cursed silently.  _Knew I shouldn't have looked_ _._ But what had been seen couldn't be unseen, and now you had no choice but to help. As you looked around, you saw what could only be described as an army of ninjas shuttling cargo back and forth from several large trucks. You surmised you were probably witnessing a smuggling operation.

_What am I supposed to do?! I'm a freaking ballerina fer crying out loud, not some James Bond apprentice!_

You mentally chanted to yourself to breath "Ok, focus, let's just think about this. I'm one person and there's like, a ba-jillion ninjas out there...."

_What can I do, what can I do, what can I do?_

Your finger idly tapped against your dance bag as you thought. Looking down at it, you suddenly remembered the pocket knife you packed today for your ballet slippers (to make them more flexible).

"Ok, if I can just get rid of the guard, I can sneak up behind them and cut their chords. Just gotta be quiet about it." You looked back out at the teams of ninjas walking around, all heavily armed.

You groaned, ".... really... reaaaallllly quiet..." you could already feel your pits sweating as adrenaline began surging through your veins. Taking a deep breath, you began to make your way forward.

You slouched in the shadows. How were you going to get the guard away from the hostages? There was the classic "throw something and hope the guard goes and checks it out" move that was common in action movies. You grumbled sarcastically to yourself,  _yes if it works in the movies then for sure it'll work in real life_ _._ You sighed,  _Where's a good spy kit when ya need one?_ You looked around to see if there was anything else that would lend some form of inspiration to you, but only found a discarded empty spray canister. Staring at it for a moment you weighed your options.  _Ok, let's go with the movie fantasy then._ Picking it up, you chucked it far into the crates but close enough for the guard to hear. His head swiveled at the noise, and tentatively he made his way back towards the direction of the source. 

_Wow, I can't believe that actually worked._ Either movie writers knew something the common man didn't, or people were just becoming more stupid these days.

Confirming the guard was out of site, you scurried quietly from one crate to another, until you were finally within reach of the two captives. Tapping the girls shoulder, you motioned for them to stay quiet and held up your knife. The brunettes eyes widened, but she nodded silently, turning to look forward so no one would become suspicious. You started to saw at the ropes binding them.

_Jeez! What are these things made of?!_

Your hands were beginning to sweat as you tried your best to hurry, the thick fibers in the rope silently splitting one by one. Nervously you glanced around, making sure the guard hadn't come back yet. You knew you didn't have much time and DANG these things were thick. Finally the last chord snapped and the rope loosened, slipping to the ground.

You grinned victoriously, raising your arms up slightly you mimicked a silent cheer.  _Yess!! Who says I'm not cut out for this secret service stuf-_

"And what, exactly, do you think you're doing?" Someone growled behind you. The guard had finally returned, his body slinking from the shadows as he towered over you. Your eyes must have been the size of saucers as you gaped at him. Moving your mouth you tried to form words but ended up looking like a fish out of water, gasping for air. Wasting no more time, the girl sprang up and punched the guard square in the face.

 

"Escaping, that's what."

 

The shock of the sudden attack probably startling him more than the hit itself, but all the same, caused him to fall back onto the hard cement floor unconscious. Dang, girl had a mean punch. Noted, do not get on her bad side.

Hopefully no one noticed your groups little scuffle. Unfortunately, as you looked back towards the rest of the ninjas, you noticed that all eyes were now on you.

 

_Of course, that would have been much too convenient_ _,_ you sighed.

 

Whipping around you yelled at the hostages, "MOVE IT!!!" The three of you began to sprint through the maze of boxes, chased by the deafening roar of stampeding feet. Flecks of wood peppered your face as razor sharp ninja stars lodged themselves into nearby crates.

The guy swung furiously with his hockey stick, deflecting some of the sharp objects. "C'mon! Just a little bit further!" He motioned ahead of you towards the rapidly approaching door. The green exit sign glowing with heavenly salvation and the promise of freedom. The guy flung the door open, followed closely by the girl.

Your hand had just landed on the door as it was descending back, when suddenly you felt something metallic snake around your ankle. You didn't even have time to look down to see what it was before it ripped the bottom half of you back. The motion was so quick that your body was momentarily suspended in the air as the chain twisted. Your ankle rolled unnaturally with it, giving an audible pop that made you cringe.

You were vaguely aware that the ground was quickly approaching, and there was a dull crack as your face made contact with the unyielding cement floor. Something warm and sticky began to trickle down your face. The stream made its way to your lips, and the unmistakable taste of iron and dust assaulted your tastebuds. Blood. Your blood. Your head was swimming, jarred with the whiplash of hitting an immovable object. You could feel your breath becoming more erratic, which only heightened the nauseous spinning of your head. You tried to open your eyes, but all your vision gave you were incoherent shapes and colors that flickered in blurred streams.

You could hear the sinister chuckling of the ninjas surrounding you. Not that you could blame them, you probably looked like some scared hamster that had been cornered by a snake. Your body shook violently, but you willed yourself to calm down. Fear wasn't going to get you out of this situation. Then again, courage hadn’t done you any favors either, considering it's what got you into this mess in the first place.

 

_Courage is overrated._

 

_It doesn't matter. If these ninjas want me, then I'm at least going to make them fight for it._

Your body tensed like a caged tiger as the figures closed in. Sensing that some of them were getting too close, you clawed and swung wildly with your hands. Your hair tumbled forward violently and clung to your blood and sweat stricken face. Your breathing came out in ragged gasps as your mind focused solely on one thing. 

 

Surviving.

 

Suddenly the lights went out, and the sound of clanging metal erupted all around you. You could hear the scuffling of feet, accompanied by your assailants grunts and groans, their limp bodies falling to the floor smacking the cement like wet pizza dough.

 

And then.... silence.

 


	2. Meeting Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your first glimpse at your knight in shining armor <3

Still unable to make out anything, you tried to stand, only to feel a stabbing pain shoot through your ankle that instantaneously made you sick to your stomach. You could feel the bile rising, stinging that weird little punch bag at the back of your throat that you could never remember the name of. You swallowed hard, pushing the burning sensation back down your esophagus. Throwing up was never really your thing if you could help it. Crumpling back to the ground, your hand landed on something long and metallic. You clenched it tightly knowing it was probably going to be your only form of protection.

There was a shuffle of feet nearby and you tensed up, unsure if it was friend or foe. Your hands clasped the object tighter as you swung wildly in the direction of the sound, only to hit air.

"Who's there? Don't come any closer! I'm warning you!"

You groaned inwardly,  _I'm sure they're shaking in their boots over a BLIND girl waving a weapon around in the air like some mad woman. _At least the thing you were holding seemed to keep whoever it was at bay. You were on pins and needles, your ears strained to hear what was going on around you. Again, you heard the slight movement of feet dragging over the dust ridden floor. They were close, maybe just a little to the left of you? You swung the object towards the sound, noting the ease in which it sliced through the air. A sword perhaps?

Finally a voice spoke up, "ok! Ok! Easy miss! Easy! I'm not going to hurt you." You squinted your eyes trying to see who was there, but you were only able to determine the persons inhumanly large size based off their backlit silhouette. His only defining feature was some sort of blue item on his face. After what you saw, you weren't in the mood to trust anyone at this point.

Scooting away cautiously you asked, "Who are you? How do I know I can trust you?" _Because obviously, if he's the bad guy, he's totally going to tell you the truth. Why not just tell him where you live while you're at it, that way you can invite him over for tea later_. The figure stepped out further into the light, your blurred vision registered the different tones of green that covered his entire body, unlike the ninjas earlier who wore only black.

The figure paused, hesitant to get closer, like he was expecting you to react a certain way. You furrowed your eyebrows at him in frustration, "I... I can't see. My vision went blurry after I hit my head. So I hope you weren't just counting on your appearance as proof."

The guy laughed, "I guess you'll just have to take my word that I'm one of the good guys then."

_Seriously?! I'm supposed to just entrust my life to some stranger with that lame explanation?_

His voice was low, powerful, assertive, and to your surprise, kind. It was the kind of voice that made girls melt into a puddle just by casually saying hi. Still, how did you know you could trust him?

When it still seemed like you weren't going to lower your weapon, he continued, "Thank you btw, for helping save our friends."

Realizing he was talking about the two hostages, you jerked your head up, "you know those two?!"

"Yeah, April is a reporter, and Casey well... he's trying to become a detective. He's a little rough around the edges but you get used to him." You remembered the girl shouting that name, which gave a little more legitimacy to this stranger. You hadn't realize you'd slightly relaxed till you heard him inch a little closer. Instinctively you put your weapon back up, the hilt of it held close to your chest. You could feel yourself tremble slightly, unsure of his intentions. He surprised you though by guiding the end of your weapon to rest against his chest. An obvious gesture that he had no intention of harming you. The man didn't make any more moves towards you, "it's ok, I promise." He murmured.

Though hesitantly, you lowered your weapon and reached your hand out. He gently took it, allowing your fingers to graze over the surface of his skin, trailing cautiously from the tips of his fingers, up the rough leathery canvas of his muscular arms. A barely audible gasp escaped the strangers lips, and you could feel a slight shudder right before he caught your wandering hands with his. "Satisfied for now?" He mused.

Though still slightly hesitant, you nodded. "I'm (y/n). What's your name?"

"Leonardo, but you can call me Leo." He shifted your hair away from your forehead. "That gash of yours looks pretty nasty..."

"Yes well, apparently my face doesn’t play well with the floor." You awkwardly smiled, trying to make the injury seem less serious than it probably appeared.

He smirked, "Can you walk?"

You shook your head, "I think I twisted my ankle." He grunted, acknowledging your predicament. His hands traveled down your calves, prodding and squeezing gently until you flinched when he reached your right ankle. He hummed thoughtfully to himself before speaking, "I'm sorry you got caught up in all this... I'd like to take you to get patched up if that's ok?"

Well, if he was the bad guy, at least he was the most polite villain you'd ever met. You nodded. It'd probably be best to get to a hospital. Who knows how much blood you'd lost at this point.

Leo scooped you up into his arms like you weighed nothing more than a feather. The side of your body pressed flush against him as he carried you bridal style out of the warehouse. Your proximity making you all the more aware of his incredible size and the raw definition of his arms. _What was this guy, a freaking body builder?!_ Your hands naturally rested against his chest, noting it's hard form too. A breastplate maybe? You tried to not psychoanalyze the poor guy, because regardless, what mattered most was that you were safe, and this guy "Leo" was helping you.

The events of this evening finally caught up with you as your adrenaline rush began to subside. You relaxed into the strangers arms, recognizing for the first time the dull ache in your head from where you struck the ground.

You looked up through the blurry haze at your savior and murmured, "Leo... huh?" It was a nice name, rolling off your tongue like a sweet sigh.

Hearing you call his name, he turned to look at you. Almost as if pulled by instinct, you reached up to touch his face. Your eyes captured the splash of vibrant blue before your hand went limp, and everything faded to black.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully I got his character across correctly ^_^


	3. Welcome to the Jungle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your first glimpse at the brothers!

You weren't sure how long you'd been out, but one thing was certain, you felt like hell.

"Ughhh" you groaned. Your body ached all over, like it had been hit by several trains. Slowly you sat up and put a hand to your throbbing temple. An ice pack shifted and you realized that there was a bandage wrapped loosly around your head. "Where am I?" Looking around, you noticed this definitely was not a hospital, it was more like .... a man cave? You sniffed, _ugh_ , more like a man cave in the sewers. You were resting on a worn out couch, stuffed with pillows and blankets that actually made it extremely comfortable. Every now and then you noticed a stuffed animal peeking out from beneath the fluffy fortress.

Maybe you swiveled too quickly looking around, but your vision started to swim slightly. You were fairly sure those floating dots weren't there a moment ago. Settling back down into the cloud of comfort, you tried to recall the events that lead to you being here.

"Ok so, there was that cat in the alleyway, he ran into the warehouse. Then there were those two hostages, and that crazy hoard of ninjas..." you chewed on your lip as you replayed the evening. Suddenly you bolted upright again, "Omg! And I just let some random stranger take me!! What is wrong with you!?" You smacked your head "Ow!!!!" The already loose bandage slowly slipped from your forehead.

It didn't look like they did anything to me other than treat my wounds. You can never be too careful though. Psychos can be nice in the beginning until something sets them off, and you weren't about to wait around and find out whether they were normal or not.

You flung back the blankets covering you and whumped your body pathetically to the floor, your ankle still too tender to put any weight on it. "Just gotta find a way to get out of here before whoever lives here comes back..."

Looking around the den of gadgets and games, you noticed several openings in the wall, and chose the one that looked most promising. Using your arms and elbows, you pulled your body along the ground towards what you hoped to be an exit. You were exhausted, but the will to not become someones underground hostage was outweighing the physical pain you were experiencing.

Suddenly you heard multiple voices echoing down one of the tunnels behind you. _How many were there??_ Mustering as much strength as you could, you quickly pulled your body past the opening and behind the wall to conceal yourself. Panting, your vision began to flicker again.  _No! Not yet!_ You turned to continue working your way across the space, only to realize the room you pulled yourself into was a dojo. 

"What th..." You looked around the room. It was quiet, peaceful and serene. There was a space in the middle of the room that looked like it could be used for sparring.

"....Did i get kidnapped by homeless samurai or something?"

A throaty chuckle rose from behind you. "One cannot be homeless if they have a home to come back to"

Gasping, you whirled around. Your eyes grew large at the unexpected sight of a giant rat in martial arts clothes standing before you.

_He's in martial arts clothes. There is a RAT, standing in front of me, in freaking martial arts clothes. I'm sorry, I'm sorry...did he just TALK as well???_

He was huge. And not like "he's large for his species" kind of big, I mean he was literally almost as tall as you! You could feel yourself beginning to hyperventilate.

_This cant be real! I'm just hallucinating because of my head injury. Why else would there be a_

_Giant._

_Talking._

_Rat._

_standing in front of me?_

Just as your brain was beginning to wrap itself around the idea that you were simply going mad, three larger figures emerged from behind the rat.

"Wh-What th....????"

One of the figures exclaimed, "Whoah! How are you even moving? That medicine I administered to you should have knocked you out for another day or so...!"

Instinctively you began scooting away from the massive shadows towering behind the rat. "Don't come any closer! Stay away or I'll... I'll..." You look around frantically for a weapon of any sort and grabbed at the thing closest to you, "I'll use THIS!!" Swinging the weapon in defense, you realized a little too late that you had in fact grabbed a nunchuck, the end of which was already boomeranging itself back towards you and smacked you squarely in the jaw. "OW!!" You tenderly put your hand up to your cheek. A red welt already forming to show exactly where the weapon decided to high five your face. Good thing you weren't smiling cuz the stupid thing would have knocked your teeth out.

"Pffffft!!" One of the shadows busted up laughing, "what? Ya gonna kill us with comedy?" Their gruff voice mocked you sarcastically

"See?! Those things aren't as easy as they look! You gotta respect the chuck!" Another voice, this one more playful than the last.

The three figures started to move towards you. Turning your head away, you squeezed your eyes shut. Maybe somewhere in the back of your brain you hoped this was all a dream, and that when you opened your eyes again you'd be somehow back in your bedroom. You held your breath. After a moment, nothing happened. Tentatively you peeked one eye open. The rat peered down it's long furry nose at you with its gentle eyes. "My child, do not be afraid. We are here to help you." His voice was calm and soft. Reassuringly, he pointed to your bandaged body, "My son, Donatello, was the one who treated your wounds and ankle."

Slowly you began to uncurl yourself. You turned to look behind the rat to see who he was referring to. Half expecting to see more large rats, you could only imagine the ridiculously stupid look on your face when you saw the three bodies that emerged from the shadows.

"Tuh-tuh-t-t-tur-tur-tur"

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" A turtle with an orange mask stepped forward. Sidling up next to you he wrapped his green, well toned arm around your neck and pulled you closer, "What up babycakes?! Bet you never seen a walking talking turtle like me before!"

_ Correction, more like I've never ever seen a turtle do any one of those things before .  _

"I'm Mikey! As you may have already noticed, I am the groups most charming, stylish, handso-"

"Annoying" the gruff voice from the back interjected.

Mikey glared back at him, "as i was SAYing... HANDSOME... and overall awesomest member." He stuck his tongue out at the others, "and these here are my brothers!"

Both turtles were somewhat larger than this 'Mikey' guy was. The one in red looked like he was literally formed out of muscles, easily putting Arnold Schwarzenegger to shame. His eyes locked onto you, scrutinizing you from head to toe. 

The other seemed more timid, shy even. He fidgeted when he felt your eyes land on him. Pointing to this turtle with the purple bandanna, Mikey continued his introductions, "This is Donatello, our super brainy, mastermind and inventor extraordinaire!" He leaned over and whispered to you, "Don't let that genius disguise fool you though, he still sleeps with his baby blanket-"

"MIKEY!! That was ONE time!!" Looking back at you, he smiled sheepishly, "You can just call me Donnie. I hope your injuries are feeling better. If there's anything i can do to make you more comfortable, just let me know. I'm normally in my lab, so just pop in anytime! Well, unless you see smoke coming out, in which case something has probably exploded. Not that I'm doing anything illegal!" In his nervousness, Donnie began to ramble, his words coming out faster than what you could comprehend.

"OK! Thank you Donnie. Moving on!" With a flourish, Mikey danced over to muscles, the turtle with the red bandanna. This one looked less than amused, his face scrunched into a sour expression of annoyance.

Mikey continued unperturbed, "And this cuddly bear of love is Raphael! Don't squeeze him, he'll stab you in the face hahahaha, I'm just kidding with ya! But seriously." His childish demeanor morphing into a stony expression of complete sincerity at his last remark.

Affectionately rubbing the rats head, Mikey then introduced, "and this is our father and sensei, Master Splinter!"

You kept trying to process the scene in front of you.  How was this even possible? Where did they come from?! Could big rats father turtles?!  Your mind began to run down a rabbit hole with questions that had no plausible answers. 

Suddenly your vision began flicker again. "Ugh! No!" You struggled to keep your eyes open, but they felt like lead. Your arms began to shake, straining to keep you propped up. 

"I...can't..." But before you could even finish your sentence, your consciousness slipped into darkness once again.

Mikey's shoulders sagged in defeat. Splinter sighed, "Do not let this trouble you my son, she only needs some time to come to terms with us."

Donatello patted his younger brothers shoulder, "Don't worry Mikey. Honestly I think it's just the medicine I gave her finally kicking in. I'll be back in a bit with a vitals scanner" and with that, he disappeared into his lab.

Mikey scratched the back of his neck, unsure of what to do. Splinter glanced at him, "Michelangelo, get ready for your night patrol. Leonardo will soon be back from his shift. Raphael, please carry our guest back to the couch."

Raph grunted and picked you up in his arms. You were so light, like a doll that he could easily snap in two. This is why he didn't like humans. Too skittish, too easy to break and too freaked out by what they didn't understand. He looked down at your resting form, wondering if you would be any different from the rest of the humans they came across. Wondering if you too would label them freaks. Monsters.

Your head lulled towards Raph's chest and his breath caught momentarily at the contact of your soft skin against his rough platelet. "Tsk" he huffed as he walked towards the couch. Laying you down, Raph fluffed the pillows behind your head as gently as he knew how. Which isn't saying much. As he turned to leave, he felt a small hand grasp his. Looking down, he saw your eyes blink open slightly as you murmured, "Thank you" before your hand fell from his grasp.

Raph's eyes softened. Nothing to thank him for, he just carried you to the couch fer crying out loud.  What a dope of a girl. Smiling at you, he looked around quickly to make sure no one else was watching. Gently he ruffled your hair, tucking you in a little more securely into the blankets. You were still a bit of a mess from the fight, your face patched with dirt and dried blood. He couldn't say you were pretty like April, but you weren't ugly by any means either. He watched you for a little longer as you slept peacefully before turning to go back to his room.

"Awwweeeeee, that was adorable Raph." Teased Donatello who had been standing at the entrance of his lab watching the hallmark scene unfold.

 

"Shut up!" Raph spat out as he stormed off to his room, not turning back, lest his brother see the red tinting his cheeks.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raph can be a big softie sometimes <3


	4. Shades of Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting to know the guys, and your Knight in blue <3

_I'm in a cloud. A soft, fluffy, perfect cloud._ Your mind snuggled into bliss.

"Mmmm... So comfy..." Nestled like a little mini blanket burrito, you rustled around in your fluffy cocoon and groaned,  _Don't wanna get up._ Regretfully though, you knew there was a lot that you needed to do today to practice for next semester. You poked your arms out and stretched like a lion after a satisfying afternoon nap. A twinge of pain in your ankle brought you out of your groggy state, and your half lidded eyes began to register your surroundings. You blinked. Something wasn't quite right. You blinked again, realizing you were in fact, not in your dorm room. Gradually, you became more alert, and the reality of past events hit you like a cold bucket of water. It wasn't a dream. You really were taken down to the sewers. Did that mean that  they were down here too?!

You look around for any sign of life, and noticed a girl sitting in a chair nearby reading a book. You recognized her immediately from the warehouse. Your heart jumped for joy at seeing a familiar (human) face.

"Hey!" You called out to her, "You're that lady who was tied up! Are you ok?! Where's that other guy that was with you?"

She laughed, "YOU'RE the one all bandaged up, and you're asking me if I'M ok?!" Setting down her book she walked over and plopped down on the edge of the couch. "I'm April! Reporter for Channel 6 News. My friend Casey was the guy tied up with me."

You vaguely remember that name for some reason. 

April continued, "we were trying to find out what the foot-clan were smuggling." She looked down sheepishly, "But it looks like the main cargo fled during the fight. Sorry we got you caught up in all this... Um?"

So you were right! It WAS a smuggling operation. You smiled to yourself, giving your inner detective a small pat on the back. You glanced up to see her looking at you expectantly, "Oh! Sorry! I'm (y/n)... and really it's no big deal, I'm just glad you guys are safe." You fidgeted with the blanket in your hand, unsure how you should ask this next question, "Hey, listen..."

Checking around you quickly, you leaned towards April and whispered, "I know this is going to sounds totally crazy, but you haven't perchance seen 3 large walking, talking turtles and a massive rat have you?"

You fully expected this lady to think you were one step short of the crazy wagon, so it came as no surprise to you when April threw her head back and laughed. 

"Sorry! I'm not laughing at you I promise!" She wiped the tears from her eyes as she chuckled. "I had the same reaction when I first met the guys. I can assure you, you're not going crazy." She gave you a sympathetic look.

"So you've seen them too!? Man, for a second I thought for sure i was hallucinating!"

She nodded her head, "Please don't be afraid, they're super nice I promise. Maybe a little weird at times, but nice." Motioning to someone behind her, you saw four turtle heads suddenly pop out from around the corner.

"I heard that April. Who's a little weird, eh?" The one with a red bandana said as they approached the two of you, shoving April playfully.

She laughed, "Well you ARE all a little unique." She motioned towards Mikey, "I heard you were already introduced to a few of the guys."

You looked at the turtles standing before you, still in awe that:

1.) They even existed and

2.) Not only did they exist, but they could literally talk just like any other human and

3.) ... (and you hated to admit this) but, shockingly good looking. Was it weird to think that?

Not meaning to be rude, you quickly shook yourself out of your daze and nodded, "Uh.. Yeah... I think I remember. Sorry, I was kinda groggy at the time, but...Mikey, Donatello (Donnie) and Raphael, right?" You pointed to each turtle as you named them off.

"Yeah boiiiiiiii!!! You hear that guys?! She remembered my name!" Mikey enthusiastically stepped forward and gave you a high five, or... high three in this case?

"She remembered all our names ya moron." Raph rolled his eyes.

"Yeah but she remembered mine first!" Mikey countered.

You giggled at their playful bantering. April was right, they may be different but they seemed like nice people. At least, they didn't look like they wanted to eat you anyways. Your eyes drifted to the last turtle wearing a blue bandanna. His posture stoic as he looked at you with piercing eyes as blue as the sea. Blue... you remembered that color from the warehouse. You smiled at him, "I remember you. I think you said your name was Leonardo?" He smiled back at you and nodded.

"Please, just call me Leo. You're looking better. Donnie did a good job patching you up." He came over to the couch and dropped to one knee so he was eye level with you. Cupping your cheek, he brought your face closer to his as he softly brushed away the hair from your forehead. You could feel his breath lightly playing over your skin, and your cheeks instantly flushed at your close proximity. 

_What is happening?! Stop it face! He's a turtle for crying out loud!_ Despite your inner chastisement though, your heart continued to beat furiously.

Gently rubbing his large thumb over an area on your forehead, you felt a dull pain, like he was pressing on a bruise. You winced. 

"Sorry." His hand dropped away from you as he sighed. "I'd like to have Donnie monitor you as you recover. You twisted your ankle pretty good, and now that The Foot have seen you with us, they might come back and try to kidnap you." Leo looked at you apologetically, "For now, I think it might be safer for you to lay low here with us for a bit."

Raph scoffed, "Yeah, speaking of people coming after us, I saw your little girlfriend Karai with that group we busted at the warehouse. Still think she's on our side Leo?"

"Knock it off Raph. She's just confused." Leo sighed and looked at the ground. "We just have to give her some time." His face hardened into something between frusteration and grief.

"You have a girlfriend?" You cocked your head.  _Jeez, he's a turtle and has more dating game than I do_ _._ You sighed internally.

Leo looked at you with a start, "What?! Oh, ah..N-no, she's not my girlfriend!!" He blushed bright red. "I-I mean... that is to say, I haven't, I mean, we haven't...." He twiddled his thumbs nervously as he fumbled over his words. 

Your eyes widened.  _Could this guy get any cuter?!_ You squeed a little bit.

Mikey started laughing, "Karai is Leo's giiiiirl cruuuuush" he started running around the lair singing, "Karai and Leo sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"Omg Mikey!! Shut up!!" Leo chased after his younger brother, desperate to put an end to his singing, and possibly his life.

Laughing at their brotherly discord, you could feel yourself slowly adjusting to their appearance. Admittedly, it was a little jarring at first, but really, they were just like anyone else. Well, if your average person was a ninja, fighting crime that is. You looked around the den appreciatively with new eyes. Clearly you guys were in the sewers, but the area felt warm and inviting, much like the turtles themselves.

You looked away from the brothers, ashamed you'd judged them prematurely. Looking down you mumbled, "Sorry..."

The guys all stopped what they were doing and looked at you quizzically.

"I mean, sorry for freaking out when I first met you... it was just a lot to take in all at once." You scratched your cheek sheepishly, "You guys seem like really decent people, and I never thanked you for saving me back at the warehouse.

Donnie approached you and patted your shoulder encouragingly, "It's ok. That's kinda what we do. And I'd say you had a pretty standard human reaction given the circumstances." You smiled up at him appreciatively.

Suddenly, a low rumble came from the pit of your stomach. You hadn't even thought about how long it had been since you last ate. The rumble soon turned into a roar. You hugged your tummy to drown out the noise, but it was too late. Mortified, you blushed a magnificent red.

The guys and April laughed at you.

"Girl, now you're talkin' my kinda language!! Let's get some grub!" Mikey started heading towards the kitchen with Raph and Donnie in tow.

"Hope you don't mind pizza, cuz that's all these guys eat down here." April rolled her eyes.

To make a point, your stomach let out another gurgle to indicated that it didn't care what it was, as long as it was food.

Leo let out a throaty chuckle and nodded towards you, "I got her April, we'll meet you in there." Coming over to you, Leo began scooping you up in his arms. As he got closer, his scent tickled your nose, a mellow fragrance of green tea and lemongrass. As his hands began to sink underneath your legs, your heart began to flutter again, and instinctively you pushed away from him, "I-I can get there on my own!"

Leo cocked an eyebrow, "oh really?" He stepped back and made a sarcastic sweeping motion with his hand as if to say "be my guest". You furrowed your brow at him. Holding your head high you pushed yourself off the couch, taking a moment to steady yourself on your good leg. Normally you had impeccable balance, but because of your lack of food you had little strength, and therefore found yourself toppling over within the first 10 hops. You braced yourself for the impact, but instead felt a pair of large hands wrapping around your waist before you could hit the floor. 

Leo scooped you up and peered down at you, "No offense, but this is just painful to watch. Also, by the time you get there, Mikey will have eaten all the food"

 

Your stomach protested.  _Traitor_.

 

Leo grinned at you, "and I don't want our guest to go hungry her first night here."

Frowning at him, you tried to suppress the odd butterflies flitting about in your stomach. Blushing shyly, you mumbled "j-just this once then..."

 

* * *

 

Over dinner it was decided that Leo would be your caretaker while you were staying with them. You suggested that you could continue sleeping on the couch, but that idea was quickly shot down. All the brothers agreed that the main living room was too active for you to sleep there, and no one wanted to tip toe around you. Sighing, you gave in. Once dinner was over, Leo carried you back to his room. On the way, you nervously fidgeted with your fingers. Leo felt your body tense up as you guys approached his door.

"Um" he quietly cleared his throat, "It's probably kind of weird .... being in the same bedroom as a mutant and all, but I promise you're completely safe with me."

Realizing what he thought you were nervous about, you waved your hands frantically, trying to clear up the misunderstanding, "Ah! No! It's not because you're a mutant or anything..." your voice trailed off, embarrassed to continue on. You mumbled something incoherent.

"What was that?" Leo tilted his head.

"I've neverbeejdnxjx..." You tried mumbling a little louder.

"Huh?" He leaned a little closer.

"I've never been inaboysroomodjfnfb"

"Yeah still didn't catch that." He shook his head.

"I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A BOYS ROOM BEFORE!!!" You shouted in frustration. Your cheeks flushed.

Leo stopped dead in his tracks, trying to process what you just confessed to him. So, it wasn't because he was a mutant... it was because... he was a boy?? He smiled inwardly, amazed that within such a short period of time you were already moving past their odd outward appearance. He softly chuckled, "You're kinda weird".

"Well excuse me for being weird!!" You shot back at him, misinterpreting his meaning. Folding your arms, you puffed out your cheeks and turned your head away from him.

From the side you looked like an angry chipmunk, effectively ruining your attempt to look genuinely upset. Pursing his lips together, he turned his head away from you, trying to keep from laughing at your sour expression.  _Pfft! Too cute!_

It probably did seem a little weird, especially at this age, to have not been in a guys room yet.  _He didn't have to actually say it though!_ You grumbled inwardly.

In all honesty, you'd been much too busy in High School with sports and club activities to bother with boys in any other capacity other than being classmates. It didn't help when you told your parents what you wanted to go to college for, and they flat out refused to help financially. Then came the jobs and late night work. You really didn't have time to dwell on boys, and instead opted for living your life vicariously through your friends at school and their relationship dramas. Sometimes listening to their stories made you wonder if having a boyfriend was really worth it. The amount of times you had to console broken hearts was more than you'd care to remember.

All that to say, you weren't really sure what you were expecting a boys room to be like. Messy clothes discarded everywhere? Plates stacked high? Odd odors emanating from some unidentified growth in the corner? You would have definitely expected naughty magazines halfheartedly hidden beneath the mattress.

Leo's room though, looked like a monk took up residence there. Immaculate to a tee, everything was exactly in its place. The minimal amount of furniture he did have was clean and well taken care of. A coffee table sat off to the side, holding a tea set, incense burner and a small stack of books. His bed, shoved to the furthest corner of the room, was a fairly large mattress (not surprising considering his size) stacked on top of palettes to keep it off the cool cement floor. On it was a dark navy duvet cover that had been nicely folded back with navy and grey pillows. The room could be described as industrial, but retained some of its warmth and coziness with the occasional lit candle that could be found on shelves scattered throughout the room.

Leo placed you gently on the bed. "Wait here a sec, I'll go get an ice pack." After a few minutes, he returned with an ice pack and another pillow. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, Leo ordered, "Lay back." You did so, as he elevated your ankle with the pillow and placed the ice pack on it. The coolness gave immediate relief to your swollen limb. Leo nodded, satisfied with his care. "Keep it elevated like this, and let me know when you need a new pack."

You smiled and poked him in the side, "thanks mom."

"Yeah yeah, you'll thank me when it heals faster." He poked your side back.

"AH!! Hahaha! Dooon't!!! I'm super ticklish!!" You snort laughed and squirmed away from his finger.  _Did I seriously just snort in front of him??? Mortified, you sighed inwardly,  aaand this is why I'm still single._

You saw a quick mischievous glint in his eye, and he grinned wickedly at you, "You don't say! I'll be sure to remember that."

"Don't you dare do anything shifty! And no telling the others!" Your intense ticklishness was a well kept secret from your peers. Leo was in fact the first person to find out about this besides your immediate family. You stuck out your pinky, "Promise you won't tell the others" you looked at him in all seriousness.

He laughed thinking you were joking, but you continued to hold out your pinky and leveled a stern gaze at him, "promise!"

He swallowed his laughter and took your pinky in his. His face the picture of a man taking an oath that he would carry to his grave. Shaking on it, you nod with approval, "you're bound by the pinky now. It's our little secret." You winked at him and he nodded solemnly. 

Not sure how to continue the conversation, the two of you sat there in silence, fidgeting uncomfortably.

You were, unfortunately, not gifted in the art of small talk. You fumbled around in your limited bank of conversation topics, when your thoughts landed on something that had peaked your curiosity earlier. Relaxing more into the bed, you propped yourself up on one elbow, "Sooooo.... Karai huh?"

You felt him tense immediately. Shoot, maybe you had moved a little too fast? He looked away from you, his expression sad and uncertain.

"Ah! Sorry! You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I just... I mean you just seemed so animated before when Mikey brought her up. Figured there was a story behind that..." you hastily said before you got yourself into deeper waters with him.

"There's nothing to tell..." Leo shrugged and looked back at you. "She's part of an enemy gang, and I have to kill her father."

You whistled, "wow, well that's rough. Not exactly the best 'meet the parents' scenario, Hahahaha! am I right?!" you nudged him in the side trying to lighten the mood, which was met with stony silence and a solid glare. _*ahem*_ you cleared your throat, "So, uh, why are you hung up on her if she's part of the bad guys?"

Leo shifted his weight, and flopped on his belly beside you, folding his arms underneath his chin, he sighed.

You laughed inwardly.  _I feel like I'm at a girls sleepover and we're exchanging stories about our crushes._

Leo looked down at the sheets and confided, "Idk, I mean, she's helped us several times when we were in a real pinch, and she doesn't even share the same goals or philosophies as her dad...Like, I know when it comes down to it, she's got my back." He added quickly under his breath, "For the most part anyways."

"Does she know how you feel about her?" You tilted your head. 

"No... I-I mean!" Leo quickly tried to correct himself, "I don't feel anything for her... we're just acquaintances and stuff." He sputtered.

Cocking an eyebrow, you gave him a knowing look, "uh huh."

Leo knew he had been caught, "Look I just.. I just want her to know that it doesn't always have to be about revenge or fighting or getting your way by taking others down. I want her to make the right decisions, so she can have a better life, ya know? As for me, I mean, I get that I'm..." he gestured towards his body, "different...so... if that life doesn't involve me then, that's ok too. As long as she's happy and safe."

You knew what he was saying wasn't an act, he truly just wanted her happiness but...

"That's such a cop out."

"What?" He blinked at you.

"Sorry, I mean, you just sound like you've already given up on the possibility that it might ever work out between you two. Have you even tried asking her out?"

Leo shook his head.

You sighed. "I'd say you're probably not giving her enough credit. It's not all about outward appearances ya know. And even if it was..." you scratched your cheek nervously, "I mean, you're actually pretty good looking to be honest."

_Omg what am I saying?!? _ Your head spun with what you've just confessed.

Leo looked at you in surprise. He blushed slightly at your words.

"I-I mean!! W-what I'm trying to say is you've got a lot more going for you than I think you give yourself credit for ya know?" You blushed trying to backpedal your statement, "Irregardless..."

"Regardless" Leo corrected you.

You grinned at him cheekily, "irregardless of that, you won't know till you at least try."

Leo smiled at you, and your treacherous heart flipped. "I see what you're saying. And, thank you. For the encouragement I mean." Leo paused for a minute, and another awkward silence hung in the air.

"You really think I'm good looking?"

"Seriously?! That whole conversation and that's what you focus on?!" You look at him sarcastically. He laughs at you, "well I don't exactly get out much, so you're the first person to tell me that"

"Yeah yeah, don't let it get to your head" smiling, you shoved him playfully.

He ruffled your hair, "I won't. Are you always this candid with people?"

You looked away from him, "not really. I guess you're just easy to talk to."

Leo cocked his head, "Hmm. Maybe it's because I'm a turtle?"

Glancing at him sideways you gave him a half smile, "Yeah... maybe." You stretched and yawned, "Tell ya what, you help me with my ankle and I'll teach you the ropes on wooing your lady-friend. How's that sound?"

Leo flinched, "you'd really help me?!"

"Yeah! Why not? You're stuck with me for a while anyways, and you can think of it as my way of repaying you for saving my life." You stuck out your hand, "Well? Do we have a deal?" Leo mulls it over, there really was no downside to this that he could see. After thinking about it, he nods and shakes your hand. "Yeah! We got a deal!"

"Awesome! Tomorrow your training begins!"

You felt the bed creak softly as Leo leaned towards you. His face hovered in front of yours. You could feel your neck heating up as you stared into those stormy blue eyes of his.  Dang they’re blue! you’d never seen eyes as deep as his. He grinned, "Good, but your training begins tonight." Poking a finger right between your eyes, he pushed you back into the pillows, "lesson one: get lots of rest so your body can recover"

Rolling your eyes you groaned, "Ugh, you're not gonna be one of those nagging teachers are you? Just being upfront, I'm probably going to be one of your problem students if that's the case."

Leo chuckles at you, "There's lots of time tomorrow for you to cause trouble." Murmuring goodnight, he gets up and walks over to a hammock you somehow missed in the corner.

 

Oddly, you found yourself already missing his presence.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes when I write these things, at the end I’m like, why am I doing this to myself? Can’t they just fall in love and butterflies and rainbows pop out everywhere? Whyyyyyyy???
> 
> As always, comments and critiques are always appreciated ^_^


	5. Little Bit of Syrup

-The next morning-

Looking around sleepily, you noticed Leo's absence, and in his place, a pair of crutches. Sitting up you sighed, still slightly dazed that this all was actually real. Running your fingers through your matted and messy hair, you grabbed your crutches and hauled yourself out of bed.

You heard the distinct sound of metal clanging from the dojo. Curious, you made your way closer and saw Donnie and Mikey off to the side watching something. Mikey noticed you first and eagerly waved you over to sit beside him. Nestling yourself between the two, you looked up to see Raphael and Leo locking weapons. One brother charged with mindless brute strength, while the other manipulated the floor space with deadly precision.

Raph was sweating profusely, grunting under the strain of avoiding Leo's swords. The twin blades sliced through the air with ease. Like cobras, they struck relentlessly at their prey. Each blade simultaneously working together, looking for one slip of the foot, one mistake to take their enemy down. 

This target though, would not be cornered so easily.

Finding a small gap in Leo's defense, Raph shifted his body weight and nailed a powerful uppercut directly on Leo's chin. The impact sent him reeling backwards. Leo steadied himself, spitting out the blood that had pooled in his mouth. Raph smirked, and Leo grinned back at him, wiping the blood off his lips. "Not bad."

Suddenly, in one swift motion, almost too quick for you to see, Leo moved and raphs body was splayed out on the floor. Straddling him, Leo pressed his blade against the apple of his brothers throat. "But still not good enough."

"A-amazing!" You stammered.

Realizing your presence for the first time, both turtles flinched and sheepishly parted from one another.

You were in awe. Watching the brothers was like seeing two different dancing styles collide together in an epic battle. Raph's fighting style was like hip hop; straightforward and unapologetic. While Leo's was more structured and purposeful, like ballet.

You looked at them eagerly, "that was so cool! would you guys consider teaching me a few things?! I mean, once my ankle heals and all."

Raph scoffed, "I don't have time to babysit ya kid. You'll just get hurt if you train with me." You hadn't expected to get shot down so quickly. Leo gave you an apologetic smile and placed his hand on your shoulder. "I hate to say this, but Raph's right. We don't do this for fun. We do it because we have to in order to protect the city. There's a lot of hard work that goes behind it. You have to build up your stamina, and that takes time."

You could tell by the set in their jaws that their minds were made up, and there'd be no convincing them otherwise. You were, however, probably equally as stubborn, with an unparalleled tenacity in getting your way.

"Why do you want to learn though?" Leo inquired. 

You thought about it for a second. This was Leo you were dealing with. He seemed reasonable enough. Maybe if you used some logic he'd reconsider. "Well, you guys said that I might be in danger now that, (whatever those guys are called)... the toes?... know that I'm friends with you. So, personal protection would be kinda nice to know."

"We can protect you." Raph moved in front of Leo. A towering wall of intimidation.

You held your ground. "Oh Yeah? And what happens when you aren't there?"

"We will be" he countered hotly.

You rolled your eyes. "That's not a plan. That's just your ego."

Looking past Raph's hulking figure you pleaded with Leo. "I should have at least the basics. Or SOME defensive training to hold them off till you guys get there." You could see the wheels turning in Leo's head. You grinned inwardly.

 

Gotcha .

 

Leo concurred, "She's kinda got a point. We did put her in this position. We should take responsibility and at least show her some defensive moves." He looks at you. "But AFTER you've healed."

"Yessss!!!! I mean....Whatever you say leader!" you tried (and obviously failed) to contain your excitement. He cocked an eyebrow, "why do I feel like I've just been had?"

You froze, laughing nervously, "T-Totally your imagination!" It wasn't quite what you had wanted, but it was a start, and before he could ask any more questions, you swiveled around towards Mikey, "who's hungry for breakfast?!"

"Girl I got the works for you! Do you want pizza omelette, pizza toast, bacon and pizza, or pizza deluxe?"

You tilted your head, "What's the pizza deluxe?"

"All those options together!" He grinned at you like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Your stomach growled fearfully,  ugh, so much grease this early in the morning. Is pizza really all they eat?!

"Stop it Mikey, you're gonna make her sick." Donnie barged in. "The human body is a complex system that requires a more balanced diet than ours." He looks at you, "if you'll wait a minute, I'll make you some pancakes."

Your eyes got big, "pancaaaakes!!! Yes!!" How long had it been since you last had those fluffy discs of joy?! Donnie gave you a big goofy grin, pleased his suggestion made you so happy.

Raph leaned over to Leo and whispered, "Donnie can make pancakes?" Leo looked back at him and shrugged, "until now, I didn't even know Donnie could cook!"

 

—- 30min later —-

 

The kitchen looked like one of Donnie's experiments had gone completely haywire. Flour was everywhere, and the eggs and batter had oozed onto the floor. You were trying your best to stifle your laughter. Donnie was a living tornado in the kitchen, and clearly had never made pancakes before.

"Let's see, and then this goes into... GAH!!!! What's on fire????" Smoke billowed from a forgotten pancake in the skillet and infiltrated the rest of the kitchen, causing you and the brothers to cough violently.

You gasped for air,  ok, the comedy show has gone on long enough . Grabbing your crutches you made your way over to Donnie where he was slopping more batter across the kitchen counter. "Here, let me." Balancing on your good leg you swapped Donnie your crutches for his spatula. Removing the gunk that was burning in the pan, you tasted the current batter, adjusting the ingredients as you saw fit. Satisfied with your concoction, you poured five perfectly circular pancakes into the skillet, their bodies puffing beautifully as the heat cooked each side to a golden brown. You flipped each pancake onto a separate plate for the guys.

Resting your hand on top of Donnie's you smiled up at him, "Go ahead and sit down D, I got this." He blushed at your touch, embarrassed at his obvious display of lack of culinary skills. He figured the least he could do was shuttle the pancakes between you and the table. After about 20 minutes you had an impressive tower of golden steaming hot pancakes. The turtles looked at each other hesitantly, but hunger won out as they all took a tentative bite at the same time, chewing and letting the flavor settle over their pallets. You tried watching them conspicuously from the corner of your eye as you cut into your own pancake. Your fears quickly put to rest as four huge grins swept across their faces, apprehension now replaced with complete and utter satisfaction. Mikey was floored that he would even like something other than pizza.

"You're like, a kitchen magician!!" Mikey's eyes sparkled with admiration. You laughed at him, "They're just pancakes you goof! I do love to cook though!"

Raph sandwiched another big bite of pancake into his mouth and muffled, "if you cook wike thith all th time, I'll teath ya whathever ya want!" You cast him a sly sideways smile, "You'll teach me whatever I want eh? I'll hold you to that."

He coughed a little realizing what he'd just promised you.

The guys finished up their meal, appreciatively licking up the last dregs of thick syrup that had pooled on their plates.

Thanking you, Raph and Mikey left for their patrol, leaving Donnie to clean up the kitchen. Leo rose from his seat, "I'm heading over to the dojo to meditate. Would you like to join?"

"Meditate?" You cocked your head.

"Yeah, it helps your focus on things."

You shrugged, it wouldn't hurt to try. It's not like you had anything better to do anyways. You nodded and Leo pulled you into his arms to carry you.

"I have crutches! You don't have to keep carrying me ya know!" You could feel your face heating up as you squirmed awkwardly.

He didn't really understand why, but he found himself loving the way your cheeks turned slightly red whenever he held you like this. Maybe you were just shy, or you didn't like depending on others? He mulled over how he should respond, Master Splinter always says that honesty is the best policy right?

He grinned innocently, "I know but, I kinda enjoy carrying you!"

"Huh?!" You stopped squirming briefly, surprised at his response.

"Your face turns this really cute shade of red!" He gently poked your soft cheeks with his oversized finger to make his point. Your eyes went wide with disbelief, morphing quickly into a scowl. Smashing your hand into his face you yelled, "It does not!! P-p-put me down!!"

Leo shook your hand off and laughed, "What?! it's not a bad thing!!"

Chuckling, he began walking towards the dojo. You were still pouting when you noticed something shiny near his mouth. You tried to stifle your giggle, "Leo, you have syrup on your face."

"What?!" He frantically began wiping, but missed the mark each time, "Where?! Did I get it?!" He groaned inwardly,  Seriously?! Food on my face?! Way to look like a total dork in front of a girl.

Laughing, you wrapped your arm around his neck and pulled yourself closer to him. Leo briefly held his breath, unsure of how to react. Taking your pointer finger you swiped the sticky sweet substance off of his cheek. "Got it!" You grinned showing him the offending substance. You'd intended to just lick it off yourself, but Leo beat you to it. His lips encased your finger and his tongue swirled gently around your tip, diligently licking off the syrup. Your face flushed at the feeling of his rough tongue running over your skin. "Um!" You choked trying to calm your rapid heart beat. Leo looked at you confused, your finger still tucked between his lips he mumbled, "Was I not supposed to?" You shook your head frantically, "N-no it's fine! You just surprised me is all!" You tried to play it off like it was totally normal.

At this rate I'm going to have a heart attack!  You sighed pulling your still slightly wet finger to your chest.

Your eyes drifted back to his lips as he licked them, causing you to blush. Leo chuckled, "You sure get embarrassed easily!"

You placed your hands on your burning cheeks, "Shut up! That's just the way my face is!"

You glanced up at him. He was smiling down at you with the same tenderness you would expect to see from an older brother.

He seemed like such a pure guy. Obviously he didn't have any other ulterior motives when he put your finger in his mouth. For you though, there were a million unspeakable things that ran through your mind as he slipped his tongue around your finger.

 

You sighed,  Ugh, that just makes me the perverted one doesn't it?

 


	6. Meditation

 

The dojo was quiet. Too quiet.

You sighed. How long did meditation take anyways? It felt like it had been hours. You kept shifting in your seat, unwittingly distracting Leo from his own meditation.

He looked over at you, "having a hard time concentrating?"

You flopped on your back groaning in frustration, "ugh!! It's impossible! I'm not feeling any more focused!"

In truth, your lack of concentration may have had something to do with the image replaying of a certain turtle licking your finger. Not that you could tell him that.

Leo nodded as if he understood, "It's because your mind is distracted."

Yeah well who's fault is that? you grumbled inwardly.

Thinking how splinter trained him and his brothers when they were little, Leo suddenly got an idea. "Hey I know! C'mere, sit on my lap."

"What?! Absolutely not." You immediately refused. Your heart could barely handle being touched by him, there was no way you'd be able to stay focused sitting in his lap.

He grinned at you mischievously, "What? Afraid you'll turn red in my arms again?" He poked your cheeks. You could feel your skin catching on fire.

"No!! And stop doing that!!!" You batted his finger away from your face. Huffing in frustration and embarrassment, you began to reach for your crutches, "I'm going to go see what Donnie is up to."

Leo laughed and caught your arm, "Wait, Wait! Don't go, i'm sorry, hahaha!" A genuine smile spread across his handsome features as he kept laughing at your reddened state.

It was hard to stay mad at him, with that look.  Dangit! Why are you so pretty?  You relaxed and jokingly glared back at him. "You don't sound very repentant."

He grinned at you cheekily, "I am!"

You feigned disbelief, tapping a finger to your lips, "hmm, I just can't seem to believe you." You made to grab your crutches again.

Before you knew what was happening, Leo sat down behind you and pulled you onto his lap. Wrapping his large muscular arms around you, he hugged you closer so your back was snug against his chest.

"Ok, you're right, I'm only half sorry" he grinned as he murmured slyly into your ear. You shuddered at the feel of his breath against your neck. His muscles moved beneath you as he breathed in and out, and the raw power that emanated from him was almost too much for you. Leo's fingers gently skimmed the skin across the nape of your neck as he brushed your hair to one side, causing a delicious shiver to run down your spine. He whispered soothingly in your ear, "Now, do you feel it?"

Your pulse pounded furiously, "F-feel? Feel what?!"  So help me, if he's talking about his -

 

"My heart."

 

You stilled. His heart?

Of course he meant his heart you perv.  You chastised yourself.

Your focus shifted to the rhythmic beat you felt against your back. He pressed his hand to your chest, "Yours is going a million miles a minute. I want you to match mine." His other hand slid around your stomach, the movement of his fingers across the fabric of your shirt sent goosebumps prickling down your arms. You couldn't help the sharp intake of air that followed.

"Let's start with your breathing. Close your eyes, and take deep even breaths. Breath in through your nose, and exhale through the mouth."

Still nervous about your proximity, you close your eyes and tried to mimic Leo. His hand gently applied pressure to your stomach as he exhaled, silently commanding you to breath in time with him. Your mind kept wandering back to the feel of him against you, causing your pulse to accelerate again.

Breathe y/n. Just focus on breathing.  You chanted to yourself.

He was warm, and you willed your body to relax into him. Soon, your breathing naturally evened out to match his as your mind finally began to settle. That familiar fragrance of lemongrass and green tea wafted to your nostrils; you sighed, he smelled good.

Leo felt your pulse even out.  Good! It looks like it's working!  He smiled, excited to take you under his wing as his pupil. Your heart rate had been like a locomotive, and he wasn't really sure how to bring it down, attributing your rapid pulse to just first-time jitters. He remembered being nervous too when he was first being taught, eager to please his sensei. It was also what reminded him of the technique Splinter used on Mikey when he was younger, his youth and playfulness causing his mind to be in a constant state of chaos. Not that he thought you were as bad as his younger brother, but for a first timer it was the easiest way to convey what he meant.

30 minutes went by, and you were as still as a board. Leo was so impressed at how easily you took to meditation. "(Y/n), you're doing a really great jo-"

 

"Zzzzzz...."

 

Leo blinked, "what th-" He looked down at you and saw a small trickle of drool running from your slightly open mouth.

She fell asleep???  He had to catch himself, his shoulders began to shake with mirth. "You're kinda hopeless ya know that?" Smiling down at your sleeping form he shook your shoulder gently.

"Pst, (Y/n)....(y/n)!"

Your head fell to the side against his chest as you shifted and nuzzled against him. His face blushed slightly.  Guess it can't be helped.  He let you sleep in his arms as he continued with his own meditation.

 

* * *

 

You blinked sleepily.  When did I...? You looked up and noticed Leo's face still meditating. Feeling you stir, he peeked one eye open and looked down at you. You realized that you were snuggled up against him. Your eyes flew open as you shot out of his lap, clambering away on your hands and knees "I'm so sorry!!! I didn't realize I'd fallen asleep!!"

Leo's lips twisted into a mocking grin, "You took your meditation a little too seriously!" His eyes suddenly widened as he stifled a laugh, "Oh, uh...You kinda have... a little.." he motioned towards the corner of your mouth.

You put your hand up to where Leo was pointing and felt the crusty remains of your drool. "Ack!!" You hastily tried to wipe it off, "D-Don't look!!"

You sighed, well there goes any chance I had of making a good impression on him . 

He grinned watching you try to wipe away the evidence of your nap. Your face was still dirty from the warehouse, and your hair was disheveled and matted with the blood from your head wound. Leo thought to himself,  We'll have to bring her to her place eventually so she can get some stuff to stay here.  You'd probably like to take a shower, but with no other clothes for you to change into he hadn't thought to offer you the chance to wash off. He chastised himself,  shoulda asked April to bring some clothes.

He noticed you tenderly rubbing your ankle. "Does it still hurt?" He put his hand on yours, moving it away from your ankle so he could see it. It's flesh purpling in areas, and your joint notably more swollen than its partner. You nodded, "Yeah, I just hope it heals fast so I can get back to practice."

Leo tilted his head, "Practice?"

You weren't really planning on telling him you were a dancer. How interesting would that be to someone who fights crime and does cool ninja stuff nightly? Well, guess he would have found out sooner or later. You couldn't very well stay down here for an extended period of time without practicing for the upcoming semester. You looked at him shyly and shrugged, "I actually go to school here at the Dance Academy."

"The Dance Academy?" He quirked an eyebrow, "What kind of dance are you studying?"

"We study all kinds of dances, but my focus is on ballet."

"That's interesting. Ballet takes a lot of discipline as I understand it. What made you choose that?"

You felt your inner dance geek beginning to form. "Ah jeez, I mean, where do I start? There's really nothing quite like the thrill of being up on stage performing in front of people. You get to trick the audience into thinking something is effortless and simple, when really it's complex and dangerous." You thought for a second, "but, it's also more than that. Ballet is beautiful and expressive, like when I do a grande jete I get to experience the feeling of flight. And I totally get nauseous before I go onstage"

Leo laughed, "And that's a desirable thing?"

You chuckled with him realizing it probably sounded weird, "It is! Because everything just fades once you step onto that stage. It's like, nothing around you matters anymore, and you're able to get lost in the music and the story you're telling. I mean, as dancers we have to convey what's going on with our bodies instead of our words, so everything becomes much more expressive and passionate." You clammed up, realizing that you've started to ramble. You pulled at a lock of your hair embarrassed for having gone on a tangent. "Anyways, one of these days I'm going to be a professional dancer, and travel all over the world doing performances!"

Turning, you beamed brightly at him, "Dancing just makes me feel.... so alive! Know what I mean?"

Leo was momentarily taken back by the way your face lit up when you talked about your passion. He found his heart stirring in a manner he didn't quite understand.

His silence unnerved you. Did you say too much? "Maybe I went a little overboard..."

"NO! No not at all! Sorry I..." He smiled at you tenderly, "I love hearing you talk about what you enjoy. I think it's great that you're so passionate about it. Better than going through life without something to strive for at all." 

You smiled at him, grateful that he didn't make fun of your mini geek out session.

Taking your hand he said, "maybe once your ankle heals you'll show me some of your moves?"

Your chest constricted and you had to remind yourself to breathe. You couldn't believe he was actually interested in what you did. Well, if he wasn't, then points to him for being an amazing actor. You nodded your head dumbly at him, "I would love to."

Leo felt a tinge of guilt for divulging his petty insecurities and problems about Karai to you last night, given the grand scheme of your life.

He scratched the back of his neck as he looked at you bashfully, "Look, don't worry about my weird relationship stuff with Karai. It's more important that we focus on getting you better so you can start dancing again."

You looked at Leo in surprise, he really was a selfless person. Taking both of his hands again in yours you smiled up at him, drinking in the depth of his ocean blues, "I really appreciate it, but I'm still willing to listen and give advice if you need someone to talk to about your girl problems n' stuff."

He smiled at you, "I appreciate it, and same here. If you need to talk to someone, that is. Though you probably go to your family more for that kinda thing."

Your expression darkened and he suddenly realized he hit a sensitive subject. You looked down and mumbled, "Yeah, I guess."

Leo's eyes softened, "Do... you not get along with them?"

Why is this all coming out now?! You weren't quite ready to start going too deep with this kid. You'd just met him for crying out loud. You sighed, "We just don't agree on a lot of stuff. I... I don't really want to talk about it." You pulled your hands away from him.

 

Leo immediately missed your warmth.

 

You looked down and idly pulled at a loose string on your shirt, "You know, they've never even once attended one of my performances. Not once." You shrugged, trying to distance yourself from the pain "Whatever, it's not like it matters." it was too late though, your voice cracked as you tried to swallow the lump of frustration that had formed in your throat. Your chest tightened as you fought back the sting of tears that threatened to spill from your eyes.

Leo cupped your face in his hand, brushing away the small droplets that had started to trickle down your cheek. You tried to turn away but he gently pulled you back to meet his gaze. Resting his temple against yours he whispered reassuringly, "sssh, it's ok. It's ok. I'm sorry, it was insensitive of me to ask that question." His mouth was mere inches away from yours, and you could feel your breaths mingle in the moment.

Your eyes locked with his, and despite your angst, your heart beat wildly at his touch and proximity. Your pulse drummed in your ears and you had to concentrate extra hard on what he was saying to you.

"I know we're not your actual family, but... I'd be honored if you considered us as something close to it. You're always more than welcome here anytime, and...." he held your gaze softly, "we can't be there in the seats, but if there's a way to see your performances from the rafters, I promise we'll come to watch you sometime. Well, I will anyways, ballet may not be Raphs cup of tea." 

You hiccuped a tearful laugh at the thought of Raph being forced to watch ballet, and the immense groaning that would come afterwards.

Leo smiled, encouraged to see you cheering up again.

"Thanks Leo." You leaned up hastily and placed a quick kiss on his cheek.

His breath caught at the soft sensation that was briefly pressed against him. His hand covered the area you had kissed as he blushed slightly.

You hoped he didn't think you were being too forward. It was just to show your appreciation, nothing wrong with that right?

You shyly glanced at him hoping to gauge his reaction, when he suddenly pulled you into a tight embrace.

Maybe it was some internal brotherly instinct, but it was in that moment Leo decided that he wanted to be your fortress, the barrier that shielded you from the world and all the bad things in it. As he clung to you, he felt your body shudder against him. Thinking he may have frightened you with his sudden embrace, he pulled away slightly, allowing himself to be content with resting his forehead against you, careful not to hit your gash. Lowering his hands, he intertwined his fingers in yours. He wanted to reassure you, to tell you that you were an amazing person, that you could do whatever you put your mind to.

 

"(Y/n) I think..."

 

Suddenly, Mikey and Raph barged into the dojo, having come back from patrol. The spell was broken and both you and Leo fumbled back from each another.

Mikey gasped as he noticed your hands linked in Leo's. "What's going on here?! I thought it was me you wanted babycakes!! We had a connection!"

Leo quickly stood and dropped your hands, blushing madly.  Seriously, what rotten timing, he grumbled. Just as he was really getting to know you. "Did you guys need something?"

"Your turn for patrol bro!" Mikey ran over and wrapped his arms around you, rubbing his cheek against yours, "and it's MY turn to take care of my sweet angel face here!"

Something in Leo twitched seeing his brother touch you so familiarly. Before he knew what he was doing, he latched onto Mikey's pressure point on the back of his neck.

Mikey immediately released his arms from around you, "owe owe owe OWE!!! Heyyy what gives bro?! You have exclusive rights to touching her now?!"

Leo shot back, "For your information, I was teaching her how to meditate. At least my intentions are pure, unlike someones." He eyed him pointedly.

Mikey crossed his arms and mumbled, "Yeah well, didn't look so pure a few moments ago."

"What was that?" Leo scowled.

Quickly Mikey straightened up, "I mean, I forgot to tell you that Splinter says to take Donnie with you."

Giving him one last glare, Leo stalked off towards Donnie's lab. He cast a glance back towards Raph, "Keep an eye on him while I'm gone."

When he saw Leo was out of earshot, Mikey mimicked, "kEep an EYe on hIm whiLe I'm gOnE. Psh! Whatever!"

 

You giggled.

 

Raph shot you a look, "Moving kinda fast with our leader aren't ya sis?"

You waved your hands furiously back and forth, "Ah! No, you've got it all wrong! Trust me, I'm not even on the radar with Karai in the picture. He seems to really like her. I think I'm more in the 'little sister' category."

Raph looked at you dubiously, "uh huh. Well, not that it's any of my business. You said it best though, Karai is all he sees. Don't get too hung up on him or you'll get hurt."

Your eyes widened and you smiled realizing something, "Thanks Raph, for being concerned about me."

He sputtered, "I'm-I'm NOT concerned about you! I just don't need you mopping around here when you get your feelings all butt hurt." His face turned the same color as his mask. "Whatever, I'm going to go workout." And with that he stomped off.

Mikey came alongside you, "Don't worry about him, he's grumpy with everyone." 

You laughed, "Meh, I know! He seems like he's pretty caring guy under all that gruff talk." 

Mikey looked at you in shock. It wasn't often that people got Raph right off the bat. "Yeah, he's actually probably the most sensitive one out of all of us. Don't tell him I said that though."

You winked at him, "it'll be our secret. Hey I do have a favor to ask you if you're free?"

Mikey beamed, "Anything for you babycakes!"

 

 


	7. Mi Casa

The night was cool, but you didn't have time to think about that as you practically flew through the air, the city flashing below you in a dizzying blur.

Mikey leapt from rooftop to rooftop with the ease that a monkey swings from tree to tree. Unlike his carefree attitude though, you had a death grip around his neck as you clung for dear life on his back.

Please don't drop me, please don't drop me, please don't drop me!  You chanted like a mantra in your head.

Mikey hacked, "You're gonna hafta ease up a little bit on the grip babycakes, I'm losing air here!"

"Sorry!! Oh, that's it over there!" You pointed to a tall brick building that was heavily covered in ivy. "Top floor!" Mikey landed on the buildings rickety metallic fire escape. Crawling off his back, you opened the window and ushered him inside.  I should really lock this thing more often. You shrugged the thought aside, "Welcome to mi casa!"

Mikey's eyes were as big as saucers. "whooaaahhh!! This is my first time in an apartment! So this is what it's like huh?!" He looked around the room appreciatively. 

You smiled, "well, it's actually a dorm room. Apartments are way nicer than this, but my classmates and I live here while we go to school."

You could tell he wasn't listening. Mikey's eyes flicked back and forth around the room excitedly like a kid in a candy store. He spotted your massive collection of movies and started rummaging through them. "Whoah you have so many good movies too!"

"Oh! Take a stack! We can watch them when we get back to your place."

His eyes lit up, "Seriously?! Sweet!!! We need this one, this one, oh man definitely this one. This is a must - " You smiled watching him stack what you already knew would be too many for him to carry back.

Something pungent hit your nostrils.  Ugh. What is that smell?  You sniffed your clothes.  Yep. That'd be me. Nasty, how long have I smelled like this?! Could Leo smell me when we were meditating?!? You shuddered at the thought. "Mikey, I'm just going to take a shower real quick!"

Settling into the couch, he looked back at you, "sure thing! You know, you can always use the showers at our place too."

"You guys have showers?? As in, more than one?!" This was news to you.

"Of course we have showers! We aren't animals." You gave him a look. He smiled and scratched his head, "Well, not traditional animals anyways."

You sighed with relief. You'd hate to have one of the guys bring you back here every time you wanted to bathe.

 

* * *

 

The shower felt amazing. You watched as the grime and old dried blood washed down your body and swirl away into the drain. This was definitely a two scrub day, there was no way one rinse was going to get all that gunk off. You figured while you were at it you might as well give yourself a quick shave. You mumbled to yourself, "Guys will never appreciate the maintenance we girls go through to look good." Finishing, you ran your hands appreciatively up your newly smooth legs.

You didn't want to get out. The water trickled down your skin, and you soaked up the remaining warmth until your good leg began to ache from balancing on it too long. 

Wiping off all the excess water, you slipped into your new clothes and towel dried your hair. You wore a relaxed shirt, it's v-neck plunging enough to show a hint of cleavage without being too scandalous, and a pair of your favorite slightly ripped jeans. Casual, comfortable and cool. Your favorite style.

You hobbled back into the living room to see Mikey immersed in some alien movie. "Is it a good movie so far?" You came around and plopped beside him.

Still looking at the screen he nodded vigorously, "This guy is crazy! Who takes on an army of aliens by them-" turning to you, Mikey's face froze. "Whoah..."

You put your hands to your cheeks, was there something on you?! Did your makeup look weird?! You hesitantly asked, "What?! What's wrong?!"

Mikey shook his head, "Nothing it's just... you're... you're really pretty babycakes!" 

Your skin was finally cleansed of the blood and grime, and your hair hung loosely around your face, still dripping with remnants of water. You blushed, "oh! T-thank you." Tucking a stray lock of hair behind your ear (a nervous habit of yours) you fidgeted in your seat.

The moisture from your still steamy skin made the soft jersey fabric of your shirt cling to you a little more provocatively than you had intended, and Mikey could see the fullness of your curves. His eyes lingered on the teasing swell of your breasts that peaked out from your v-neck. His heart pounded, you looked like a water goddess that abruptly decided she wanted to mingle with the human race for a bit. His body began to move on its own accord. He reached up and ran his hand along your neck, tracing one digit down the front of your throat feeling the softness of you against his leathery palm. He didn't quite understand what was happening to him, but he knew he wanted to get closer to you. A low churr emanated from him, the way a cat purrs contentedly as its bathing in warm sunlight. Bringing his face closer to you he murmured, "You smell so good babycakes..."

Looking into his eyes, you saw something change in them, something animalistic, like he could devour you. His head started to bend towards yours, and you suddenly realized he was coming in for a kiss. Feeling his hand begin to slowly snake its way up your thigh to your hips, you jumped up off the couch, fumbling over your words to make a quick excuse. "HEY! Uh... arrrrre you into video games?!"

"Huh?" He shook his head, the fog of lust lifting from him as your body got further away.  What just happened to me?  It was like something instinctual took over, and he was no longer himself. He looked at you, worried he'd maybe scared you away. Quickly before things got awkward, he resumed his usual jovial playfulness as if nothing had happened. "Hells yeah i am!! What you got girl?!" 

You breathed a sigh of relief. You knelt down and rummaged through your options. Mikey watched as your rear popped into the air, moving seductively back and forth as you looked through your hoard of games. He could feel his loins tighten, and he gripped the edge of the couch, "come on, keep it together bro!" He whispered through clenched teeth, fighting to suppress his urges.

Finally you decided on one of your faves: Mass Effect. Starting a new game, you walked Mikey through the creation of his character profile and setting up his team. As he played you noticed he quickly skipped through the storylines, "ugh, what is with guys not reading the story?!" You groaned. It was like, half the fun for you to read the characters relationships to one another. 

Mikey rolled his eyes, "That's such a girl thing. For me it's just garble. Like I care what this guy has to say to me." 

You rolled around on the couch in frustration, "But the decisions you make matteeerrrrrr!!! At least further into the game! That's why you have to decide whether you're going to be a nice person and do paragon decisions, or be a rude uncaring person and do renegade!"

He perked up, "wait so it actually does matter?! What happens further on?!"

You started to explain how decisions affected outcomes in the end, when you glanced up at the clock. "OMG! Mikey!!! We've been at this for 5 hours!! We gotta go!"

He whined, "aawwweee But I was getting so good!" You laughed at him, "We can always come back later." 

His eyes shone, "really? It's ok if I come back?!"

You looked at him confused, "of course you can! Why wouldn't you?"

He fidgeted in his seat, "I mean, I didn't know if I scared you trying to... ya know..."

You realized he was talking about him trying to kiss you. You blushed, "It-it's fine. Just don't do it again." You smiled at him trying to put his mind at ease.

He still didn't seem comfortable yet. 

"Mikey, really, it's fine! I'm not upset I promise you!" You patted him on the shoulder.

He looked down at his controller, fiddling with the buttons before looking back up at you again, his eyes pleading, "Could... could you maybe not mention it to Leo? He'd probably skin me alive."

You couldn't help giggle a little, there was no way you'd ever tell Leo. It was just as embarrassing for you as it was for him. Also, with his big brother attitude, Mikey was probably right, Leo would skin  him alive.

"Yeah, I promise I won't say anything. And by the way, your character is getting torn to shreds." You nodded towards the tv.

Mikey whipped around, "GAH! Where did all these guys come from?!" Smiling you left him to his game.

You grabbed a backpack and began filling it with extra clothes and toiletries. You were halfway done shoving some food into your bag, when somewhere in the distance you heard a faint buzzing. Realizing it was coming from Mikey, you limped over to see a turtle shaped cell phone lit up at his side. You looked at the name of the caller.  Well speak of the devil.

Mikey was too busy fighting off some battle master, so you grabbed it and answered, "Hey Leo!"

 

Mikey froze.  Crap!!!

 

Panicking he tried to grab the phone from you, "Gimmie that!!" but you dodged him, making him flip over the armrest onto the floor.

There was silence on the other end.

"(y/n)?" Leo's voice came out strained.

"Yeah it's me!" You answered cheerfully. 

 

Again, silence.

 

You weren't sure if you lost connection, "Hello? Leo? You still there?"

Suddenly, like a roll of thunder, Leo's voice roared, "Where the HELL are you and Mikey????" You jumped, the phone fumbling in your hands as you fought to regain control of it.

You were so shocked at his rage that you tripped over your words "W-Well, I -"

Leo was spitting fire, "NO! I don't even want to hear it. The both of you get back here RIGHT NOW!"

 

The phone went dead.

 

You stood there stunned. Looking at the phone, you saw there were 15 missed calls from him and a couple more from both Raph and Donnie.

 

Oh, we are in such big trouble.

 

 


	8. Candy on my Tongue

Mikey whimpered as you both made haste back towards home, "ohhh Leo is going to kill meeee!"

You weren't sure what all the fuss was about and you tried to reassure him, "I'm sure it'll be fine. Leo seems like a pretty reasonable gu-"

"Reasonable?! How are we going to explain not bringing Raph with us in case we ran into the Foot?"

You paused, "W-well... he was busy working ou-"

"And, more importantly, how are we going to explain not TELLING Raph where we were going?" You couldn't see his face, but you could feel Mikey's panic increasing, and you were beginning to understand why. He was right, it probably would have helped your case if you guys had left even a note or something saying where you were going.

Mikey whined, "Awe man! Leo's never going to let me babysit you again when he's out!"

You conceded, "Ok, ok. I guess I understand why he'd be kinda upset, but jeez Mikey, it's not like he told you not to go anywhere alone with me outside the lair."

You could feel him shrink a little bit beneath you, "eh heh...well..."

Oh you've got to be kidding me. "MIKEY!! Don't you 'eh-heh' me!! Why didn't you say something?!?!"

He nervously laughed, "I just got so excited about going to your place that it kinda slipped my mind?"

You groaned.  Uugghhh, again, we are SO dead.

Mikey slipped into the sewers, and the pungent odor of human feces and garbage hit your nostrils like a freight train. Unfortunately not even this onslaught of offensive smells could distract you from the wrath you knew awaited you back at the lair. The closer you got, the more you began thinking of alternative places you guys could escape to until Leo cooled off.

You sighed,  That would just make him even more mad. Your shoulders sagged,  jeez, only day 2 and i'm already in trouble with the leader.

Mikey slowly opened the door, where a single figure met you in stony silence. Both of you gulped at the same time, standing in the door frame like two teenagers caught sneaking through their bedroom window past curfew.

Was there literal steam coming off of Leo's head?! His blue eyes that you normally loved so much, looked like liquid pools of fury as he marched towards you like a locomotive on a warpath. You shrunk behind Mikey's back.

Mikey instantly put his hands up, "Ok! Ok! Let's all just calm down now, I have a perfectly reasonable explanation for all of this!"

Leo paced in front of him, his eyes never leaving his younger brothers. "Yes, explain." He hissed through his teeth.

Mikey gulped, he didn't really have a good explanation, but that didn't mean he wouldn't at least try to wiggle himself out of this jam, "ok, so ya know how we were all in the dojo and you were like....." He began to ramble off his random excuse for why you two had gone out. All the while Leo continued to pace, his body language showing no signs of excusing your actions anytime soon.

"....And then, as we were heading to her place, I was like, oh man, I think Leo said something about not going out alone with her. But we were like, already halfway there so I figured might as well keep going...."

You groaned eyeing Leo, who's face looked like it was on the verge of exploding as a vein throbbed threateningly on his forehead.

"....And then we were playing this super cool video game that you just gotta try bro! Anyways, I got a little too into it and didn't hear your calls, so that's why I didn't answer. But everything's ok! We didn't run into the Foot, she's totally safe, so no harm done!"

It was like the death nail, and finally Leo snapped.

"No harm done?! You disobeyed a direct order Mikey!! You got lucky this time, but what if you HAD run into the Foot? You needlessly put yourself AND her life in danger." His rage boiled over, "Do you have any idea how worried i was? What were you thinking not even telling Raph where you two were headed?! Of all the insensitive, irresponsible -"

You'd lowered yourself down from Mikey's back and limped around from behind him. There was no way you were going to let him take all the heat for this. "Please, don't get angry at him. I'm the one who asked him to take me back to my place, it's my fault."

Leo's razor eyes flicked to you and then back to Mikey, hesitating for a moment before doing a double take at you again. "(Y/n)?" His eyes raked over you.

You stood tall trying to mask the fear you felt under Leo's scrutiny, "I asked Mikey to take me home so I could get some stuff for my stay here. I didn't tell Raph because I honestly didn't think we were going to be gone for long but, ... I wasn't watching the time and...." You hung your head, knowing it just sounded like more excuses. This wasn't the time to get tongue tied though. You straightened up and looked Leo straight in eyes, so he knew your next words were coming from a place of real repentance, "I know this doesn't excuse me from not saying anything but, I really am sorry. I didn't think about how going out like that alone might have put us in danger." You bowed your head. "I promise it won't happen again."

Leo stared at you dumbly, he knew you were a bit grimy from the warehouse encounter, but... wow. You cleaned up really well. He shook his head, this was no time to be distracted by your appearance. He looked at the two of you standing together, a sweet image of two younger siblings trying to protect the other. You with your head bowed, placing yourself between him and Mikey, and Mikey having rushed to defend you two before he even got a chance to say anything. He felt his rage begin to subside, leaving only some parental irritation for him to chew on. Turning away he rubbed the back of his neck, "w-well... as long as you understand the magnitude of danger you guys put yourselves in, I guess I can let you off this once." He looked back at you sharply, "just don't do it again."

Leo handed you the crutches you had left in the lair as Mikey breathed a sigh of relief, nudging you cheerfully in the side, "Man, I really thought we were in for it."

 

Ugh, and then there's that mouth.

 

Leo pushed him away from you, "Oh you're not off the hook completely. You can spend some time thinking about what you did in the Ha'Shi."

Mikey groaned "Ugghhh seriously??? I freaking hate the Ha'Shi." He stomped off.

"Then next time maybe you'll think harder before you disobey my orders." Leo called out towards the retreating back of his youngest brother.

You tentatively came over to him and tugged at his wristband, "I really am sorry to have worried you so much."

He looked down at you and cleared his throat, "Y-Yeah, well... Sorry for freaking out like that, it's just - When Mikey didn't answer, I assumed the worst." Stepping closer to you, he cupped your face in his hand. His thumb gently rubbed back and forth against your cheek. "It's my job to keep you safe, and here at the first possible moment I took my eyes off you I thought I'd let you get captured. How could I live with myself if that happened?"

You knew he was concerned, but you were beginning to understand now the depth of his fear and why.

Leo chuckled, "I didn't think you would take me so literally last night when I said you had a lot of time to get into trouble today." You grinned up at him, feeling the tenseness in your shoulders subside hearing his humor return.

Sighing, he pulled you against him in a warm embrace. "I'm just glad you're safe." He rested his chin on the top of your head, relief finally allowing him to relax.

"Nothing happened right? Mikey didn't drop you or anything?" He looked you over for scratches. You hesitated, thinking back to how Mikey tried to kiss you. Even if you hadn't made that promise to him, there's no way you would have told Leo what had happened. He really was kind of like an overprotective brother, or maybe a mother hen would be more accurate? Either way, he'd probably have a heart attack if he found out. For both yours and Mikey's sake, you shook your head vigorously, "nope, nothing happened, everything was fine."

Leo glanced at you, his eyes felt like they were searching your soul. You'd never been really good at lying, and you could feel your skin getting clammy under his scrutiny. He tilted your chin up so you were forced to look at him. A moment of silence hung between the two of you before he spoke, "Why do I feel like you're hiding something from me?"

"I'm not! You're being paranoid!" You shifted your chin out of his grasp and playfully punched his shoulder letting out a nervous giggle.  Jeez what was this guy, a freaking mind reader?  Maybe it came from being the eldest of his brothers.

He looked at you suspiciously but decided not to press the issue. Reaching out, he trailed his fingers through your hair. It was clean and void of the clumps of blood that had previously matted parts of it together. Now it hung along your shoulders in thick healthy waves.

 

It's so soft.

 

"You took a shower?"

Your senses were buzzing at the feeling his fingers gliding through your thick tresses. His hands passed delicately along the base of your neck, sending shivers of pleasure down your spine, a completely different sensation from when Mikey tried to touch you. A fog had settled pleasantly over your brain, leaving no room for any thought except the need to lose yourself in him.

 

"(y/n)?"

 

Oh. Right, he'd asked a question hadn't he? "Huh? Oh, ah...yes. I didn't know you guys had showers down here. I brought some of my shampoo and soap with me though, so I won't have to go back." Regaining your senses, you leveled a glare at him and chided, "I didn't realize how bad I smelled! You coulda said something!"

He laughed, "I hadn't noticed tbh. Probably comes with living in the sewers your whole life." Leaning in, Leo placed his nose in the crook of your neck and inhaled deeply.

You gasped and instinctively placing your hands on his chest. Without thinking about it, you tilted your head to allow him better access to your sensitive flesh. Your heart hammered wildly inside of you, threatening to leap out at any moment.

"But..." He murmured against your skin, "You do smell good." As he spoke, his lips brushed against the nape of your neck, causing goosebumps to dance along your arms.

He felt you gasp slightly at his touch. His mind raced.  What am I doing?

Pulling away from you he straightened up and cleared his throat. "I uh... I better go tell master splinter you guys arrived home safely."

You nodded shyly, holding the place on your neck where Leo had nuzzled his nose. "Y-Yeah." He turned to leave when suddenly you remembered, "oh! Leo, wait! c'mere!" You beckoned him back over to you.

Rummaging through your backpack, you pulled out a package. "Close your eyes."

He cocked his eyebrow suspiciously, "Why?"

You laughed, "Just do it!"

He reluctantly closed them.

You waved your hand in front of his face, confirming they were tightly shut, "Good, now open your mouth." He felt your finger press down lightly on his lower lip, urging it open. You popped something hard and subtly sweet into his mouth that tasted like candied tea. He opened his eyes, "What is this?!" 

"It's a matcha candy I got from a friend who lives over in Japan. I wanted to grab some for you since I saw your tea stuff on the table. She said it pairs well with tea, but honestly I just eat them whenever." You fidgeted, "Do you like it?" 

He wasn't normally one for candy, but these were just the right amount of sweetness. "I really like them! Thank you!"

"Great! Then they're yours!" You handed him the package.

Taking it, he poured another one into the palm of his hand. Reaching towards you, he gently held your chin between his fingers. Nudging it up softly, he brought the candy to your lips, his fingers brushing against your mouth as he pushed it in.

He smiled tenderly at you, "we can share them." And with that he turned to go to master splinters room. Your hand went to your mouth as you rolled the candy around on your tongue.

Raph's words swirled around in your head.  Don't get too hung up on him or you'll get hurt .

You gnawed on your lower lip.

 

Well.....crap.....

 

 


	9. You’re My Kinda Guy

Later that night you and Leo decided to curl up on the couch and watch a movie together, much to the displeasure and incessant whining of Mikey who declared he wanted to be the first one to watch a movie with you. Unfortunately because of his actions earlier this evening, Master Splinter had him under intense training.  Poor Mikey,  you mumbled. The only reason you probably got away without punishment was because you were a guest. However, you were fairly sure that even for you Leo had a breaking point that would require some form of discipline.

You'd both settled onto the couch, and Leo's arm hung languidly across your shoulders, allowing you to rest comfortably against his side.

Tonights movie of choice was the 1999 version of "The Mummy". You drooled as Brendan Fraser appeared, newly shaven and cleaned up from his previously imprisoned state. A sigh escaped your lips.

Leo eyed you from the side, "Hmm? You're into this kind of guy huh?"

You couldn't even hide your admiration as you purred, "Yes!! His character is super dreamy in this movie!"

Leo rolled his eyes, "Meh, he's ok I guess."

You blanched, "he's ok?! Ok?!? More like he's totally perfect!"

Leo felt himself getting defensive that you would so openly praise this man, even if it was a fictional character, "What's so great about him? He's just a bonehead with guns."

Pulling away from his side you folded your arms, "He is not just a bonehead with guns! Look at him! He's gorgeous and manly!"

Leo huffed, "Oh so you're just going after him for his physical appearances huh? How shallow."

Oh no he did NOT just go there. Your brows knit together, "Um, excuse me, it is much more than that! I mean, yes he's pretty, but he's also an excellent leader who, even though he plays tough, is thoughtful and compassionate. He's also good at getting his team out of sticky situations and.... and did I mention he was handsome?" You continued to drool.

"Twice." Leo grunted.

You giggled, "Idk, he just has that whole, 'I'm-going-to-take-care-of-you' rugged charm about him."

It suddenly occurred to you, "Actually Leo, now that I think about it, his character kinda reminds me of you.

"M-Me?!" He sputtered.

"Yeah! You're strong, you take care of your team, you're brave and quick to come up with plans. You're like, legitimately this character incarnate. Minus the sarcastic attitude."

Leo hadn't ever been praised for his leadership skills. He'd been doing it for so long it was mostly just expected of him to fill that role and do it well. Bashfully he averted his eyes from you, but felt your hand cradle his cheek, gently urging him to look back.

You studied his face carefully and grinned at him mischievously, "But I have to say, you might have him beat in the looks department." Leo's breath caught in his throat.

You leaned forward, sending his poor little turtle heart zooming out of control. He recalled the kiss on the cheek you gave him in the dojo, and his body buzzed with anxious anticipation.

Smiling, you inwardly giggled at his obvious nervousness, slightly proud that you were able to draw this kind of reaction out of him. You leaned closer and gently kissed his forehead, lingering slightly, savoring the sweetness of the moment. Leo's hands hovered awkwardly over your hips, his mind fretting as he clenched and unclenches his hands, unsure if he should place them on you or if that would be too weird. Your neck stretched tantalizingly above him, close enough that if he looked up his nose would nuzzle into your soft exposed flesh. His hands had just barely begun to rest on your hips when a cool breeze whistled through the lair, causing you to pull back from him. You shivered, rubbing your hands up and down your arms, hoping the friction would provide a spark of warmth.

Knocked out of his daze, Leo felt you tremble, "Are you cold?"

Curling yourself up slightly you nodded, "Just a little."

Looking around, he got an idea. He stood and moved to the far end of the couch. Leaning back against the armrest, he motioned for you, "C'mere." He spread his legs apart and beckoned for you to come between them. Your face flushed, but you climbed across the couch anyways and positioned yourself between his legs, unsure of his intentions.

He noticed the blush on your cheeks, and his face suddenly felt like it was on fire as well. You looked like a couple of tomatoes sitting awkwardly together, steam practically coming out both your ears. Leo was finally able to stammer, "D-don't make this weird." Grasping your hand he pulled you towards him. Your body pitched forward and stretched out over his torso as he brought one of his arms around your waist, the other fished for the blanket that had been draped along the backside of the couch. Pulling it down over the two of you, he hugged you closer to him.

"Better?" He murmured against the top of your head.

You nodded, afraid that your voice would crack and give your excitement away. You tried to calm yourself, hoping he wouldn't feel the frantic beating of your heart. Whether it was the blanket or the new proximity between your bodies, you were definitely warm now.

Leo grinned, finally able to gather his thoughts. You'd compared him to your dream guy on equal, if not better, terms. Was it weird he took some legitimate male pride in that? He looked down at you. Your body had stopped shivering, but he could feel your rapid pulse. Were you nervous laying against him like this? Maybe he had moved too fast and made you feel uncomfortable. He wasn't sure, but your anxiousness made his heart flutter.

Nuzzling your head, Leo whispered against your hair, "Relax." His hand gently stroked the small of your back in tiny circular patterns.

It felt good. He felt good. Your breathing evened out as you let yourself be soothed by his touch. You wrapped your legs around one of his, the chords of bunched muscle resting between your thighs. As your body melded into his, you began to wonder if it was too late to renege on helping him get with Karai. Was that selfish of you? You didn't even really know where you stood in Leo's books.

Listen to me, 'Where I stand in his books'? I've only known him for a couple of days!

This type of infatuation couldn't be healthy. You tried to push it out of your brain, but the more you felt him stroking the small of your back, the more you felt prone to just letting your reason go. It didn't matter, she wasn't the one here right now enjoying his company, you were. Pushing her from your thoughts, you closed your eyes, savoring the moment with him.

Leo looked at your small frame against his large bulky green body. He'd long forgotten about the movie playing in the background, content just having you there in his arms. His mind wandered back to you and Mikey and the shenanigans you'd gotten into this evening. Admittedly, he was a little jealous Mikey got to see your place before he did. He was, however, more concerned about whatever you were keeping from him. Years of having to extract information from his brothers had made his senses hyper aware of when he wasn't being told the whole truth. Maybe he'd ask you again later, but not today, he didn't want to seem like he was prying. He played with a lock of your hair, too distracted by you to notice a pair of eyes glaring at the cozy scene.

 

"Tsk" the figure grunted before they turned their back and stormed off.

 

 


	10. The Keeper of Secrets

The next morning you tottered around the lair looking for any sign of life. You stopped in the middle of the living room, listening carefully to see if you could hear any movement around the area. Had you not purposefully been listening for something, you probably would have missed the faint classical melody coming from Donnie's lab. In some ways it didn't surprise you, he struck you as someone who would be into that kind of music. What you weren't prepared for was what you saw when you peeked around his door.

Donnie was in full swing, waltzing clumsily around the room, hand in hand with a mannequin that looked oddly like a stand-in for April. His purple bandana tail whipped around his head as he tried to keep time, tripping over his unsteady feet. His pace was consistently about a step behind where he should be, making the entirety of the show just that much more comical.

If someone had told you that you'd be watching a walking, talking, ninja turtle doing the waltz with a mannequin, you would have checked them into the mental institute. Yet here you were, smiling as you watched him continue to twirl around the room, his face plastered into a big goofy grin. Putting a hand to your mouth you stifled a giggle, he looked so adorable!

It was all too entertaining, and you lost track of how long you'd been standing there. In many ways the scene reminded you of your mental dance with Leo. Really, you were the only one doing the dancing, your partner a figment of your imagination, when the real thing was far beyond your reach. You snorted disparagingly at yourself, "I guess we all have dreams huh?" Not wanting to disturb his fantasy, you turned to leave, accidentally kicking a discarded can on the floor. You flinched, knowing he probably heard you. 

"(Y/n)??" You looked back over your shoulder to see Donnie frozen in mid spin, gaping at you in horror. 

Ha! Guess he didn't want anyone to see him after all . You half turned and waved at him awkwardly, "hey!"

He looked at you, then back at the mannequin, shoving it quickly behind him in a futile effort to conceal it. "How long have you been standing there?! How'd you even get in?! I locked the door!!"

You scratched the back of your head averting your eyes, "ah well...I mean, I've been here for a little bit I guess. As for the door, it was unlocked when I got here."

He rushed over to see that indeed the lock hadn't seated correctly. His shoulders slumped in defeat as he sighed, "Well, I guess it's better to have had you witness this than my brothers."

You giggled, "Would it be bad if they knew?"

He looked at you appalled, "Are you kidding me?! Have you met my brothers?! I would never hear the end of it! My life as I know it would be over!"

You laughed at his theatric flare, guess that was the price of having siblings. "What are you practicing for anyways?"

Twiddling his fingers he shyly looked away, "Promise you won't make fun of me?"

You crossed your heart, "Scouts honor!"

He took a deep breath, "I actually have a date... with a girl."

You eyed the mannequin, "I'm guessing with April?"

He blushed furiously, realizing he was still holding the makeshift April stand-in. "Y-Yeah.." he cleared his throat. "Her company is actually holding a gala, and apparently there's an emphasis on ballroom dancing." You nodded your head to indicate you were still following along. "Well, I told her I'd help her learn the waltz, but..." he trailed off.

"Buuuuut you don't know how to waltz either?" You cocked your eyebrow at him.

He gave you a sad defeated grin, "That obvious huh?"

You chuckled, "When are you meeting up with her?"

"Not for another few weeks. She's pretty busy with work so she said we could start our lessons when things calmed down on her end." Donnie slumped down into a chair, the April doll falling limply at his side, he snorted, "I don't know what I was thinking. I figured It was enough time to just teach myself some of the basics but, apparently I have two left feet." He glanced at you half heartedly, "You wouldn't happen to have any experience in this area would you?" He threw the question out there, obviously expecting you to say no.

You grinned down at him cheekily, a twinkle in your eye, "Mm, you could say I know a thing or two."

You've never seen a mans face morph from defeat to shock to elation so fast. He was quick on his feet hovering near you, "Y-You do?! Really?! Would you...?! Could you...?!? I-I mean if you'd be willing!!!" He was practically panting with excitement, his sentences coming out in short bursts.

You laughed, "Of course I will! My ankle is still too sore to put weight on it, so I can't dance with you just yet, but these first few steps you can practice on your own. Do you have tape?"

Donnie shuffled away, rummaging like a madman through various drawers in his desk. "Ah-HAH!" Victoriously he whipped around, holding up a large roll of masking tape.

You giggled, "Perfect!" Taking it, you sat on the ground and taped the outline of a small square on the floor. "This will be your home base for now." 

Donnie tilted his head in confusion. "Huh?"

You stood up and dusted the dirt off your hands, "I don't want you going outside this square until you've mastered the basic tempo and movement of the waltz. Now, first things first," You tugged him closer to you. He was probably the tallest of his brothers, his lankier features emphasized by his natural tendency to slouch so as not to stand out, "Posture. No slouching." You smacked his turtle shell soundly, the clap of flesh hitting hard matter rang out through the lab. Letting out a small yelp of surprise, he immediately straightened his back. You circled around him much like your mistress would when scrutinizing your posture during practice. "Shoulders back, chin level, chest out." You tugged and pulled at him, adjusting his body until you were satisfied. You grinned playfully, "comfy?"

He looked like he could collapse at any moment, the unnatural pose using muscles he was not accustomed to.

"V-very." He squeaked out.

You laughed, "Practice standing like this even when you aren't dancing, it'll help it to feel more natural." He nodded, albeit a little apprehensively.

"When we dance, we count our steps to this beat: One, two-three, One, two-three, one, two-three" You clapped out the rhythm with your hands, emphasizing the one, followed quickly by two and three. He nodded again, mimicking the pace of your count. "Good! Now, since you're the man, you'll be leading. Watch my feet." You hobbled over to the square, placing your feet on the left bottom corner. "So all you're really doing is making a box with your feet. Your first step will be your left foot moving to the top corner above you, this is beat one. Then you're going to take your right foot and slide it up to meet your left, but then move it to the right corner of the box, this is beat two. And then you're just going to bring your left foot over towards your right, and that's beat three." You demonstrate the movement. "See what I'm doing? So step, then slide up and over, then step." You glanced up to see Donnie scribbling notes furiously.  At least he's not taking this lightly , you giggled. You continued your demonstration of the box movement, stepping back from the square once you were confident he understood the movement.

Donnie tried to recreate what you'd just shown him, but often tripped up on the slide movement. You thought about it for a bit, "Ah! Think about it this way D, the first step is the enemy moving into position for a surprise attack, the second is like a 'ninja foot' that comes to attack the enemy, but realizes it's a trap, and flees from that corner, and the last step is the enemy coming after the ninja." Somehow that seemed to click better with him, and you giggled as he mumbled "ninja foot" each time he slipped his foot away.

You turned on his classical music again, just so he had something to keep time with. After a bit, Donnie seemed to grasp the concept and did remarkably better, his confidence once again rekindled in his dancing abilities. He grinned at you, "check this out!" Stepping outside the square, he made large sweeping motions, using his newfound knowledge to waltz in circles around you. "Hey now! What'd I say about staying in the square?" You chided him, moving slightly out of his way as he twirled a little too close to you.

"Awe come on! I totally got this now-"

He again twirled too close to you,

"D-Donnie!!"

" WhoooaaaAAGH !!"

Unable to move out of his way in time, you both became entangled with each other and toppled over onto the floor. Donnie's body hovered above you, his legs straddling either side as he rubbed his head.

"Ah jeez (y/n), I'm sorry! I really thought I had it!" He looked down at you sulkily. You laughed up at him, "you can't learn this in a few minutes D! It takes practice, no different than your martial arts." Moving your legs you winced. Even though you'd protected it pretty well, the fall still stung your ankle slightly. Donnie's face contorted into worry, "Are you ok?!"

You nodded, "Yeah, it's just sore is all."

Suddenly he smacked his head, "I'm such an idiot!"

"D, it's really ok, it was just an accident." Still laying on the cement floor beneath him, you patted his leg reassuringly.

"No not that! I totally forgot, I have something that'll help your ankle heal faster!"

You gasped, "what?! Really?!"

He grinned at you nervously, "well, in theory anyways."

Cocking an eyebrow you looked up at him cynically, "Your confidence is overwhelming."

He laughed, "Well i don't want to lie to you. Hey..." looking down at you tenderly, he murmured, "Thanks again, for your help with this. Could... do you think maybe... if it's not too much trouble that is... could we maybe continue these lessons?"

You looked at him curiously, "Of course! I was planning on it anyways."

He sighed in relief. "Thank you so much (y/n)! Ah also... would you mind maybe not telling my brothers about this? It's a little embarrassing for me...."

You smiled, "Of course! My lips are sealed!"

Dang, I'm starting to rack up quite a few secrets these days... between Mikey and Donnie, you were beginning to feel like a secret agent.

Suddenly the lab door creaked open and Leo walked in, "What's with all the commotio-?" His heart stopped as he turned to see Donnie positioned over you. His blood immediately began to boil and he growled, "What's going on here?"

 

Both you and Donnie froze.

 

Of all the people to find you in this situation, it just HAD to be him didn't it?!Your brain was scrambling to come up with an excuse that didn't involve exposing Donnie's secret. You weren't even sure why you had to think about it, the reason was legitimate enough, he had just bumped into you. Nothing suspicious about that right?

He scrambled off of you and helped you to your feet. Fidgeting with his fingers, Donnie stammered, "Ah well, you see... we-"

"-were just about to go over the stuff you made to help my ankle heal faster." You quickly interjected. Leo slowly walked over, eyeing the two of you suspiciously.

"Really." He sounded unconvinced.

"Yes, he was just about to show it to me when I slipped and started falling backwards. He tried to catch me, but ended up falling down as well." You cleared your throat, hoping Donnie would take the hint.

Leo's eyes flicked over to his brother. Donnie was beginning to sweat. You realized he was also a fellow comrade not gifted in the arts of lying.

Come on D, pull it together man!  You rooted for him internally.

"Y-Yes! In fact, I have the stuff here. Now, where did I put that-" He rummaged around in a small refrigerator, exclaiming happily when he found what he was looking for. Turning, you saw the item of interest was a syringe.

 

Oh, heck.

Freaking.

No.

 

Needles. You hated needles. You'd take on that army of ninjas again any day over getting a shot. You could feel your head getting woozy just looking at it. Leo glanced over at you, noting how pale your face had become. "(Y/n)? Are you ok?"

"Y-Yeah.. I just.. didn't realize it was going to be a shot. Someone FAILED to mention that part." You shot Donnie a glare.

He rolled his eyes, "It's just a small needle."

It is practically the size of my ARM! Ok, slight exaggeration on my part, but not by much.

You shuddered. You didn't even get your flu shots because you hated needles so much. "Ya know D, I just remembered, I think I promised Raph I'd help him with his weights, but thank you all the same, for trying to help me out." Both turtles watched as you slowly started to back up, "I know you're super busy with stuff, and I don't want to take up any more of your time so I'm just gonna go! Later!!!" You turned, trying to make a quick escape.

"Oh no you don't!" Leo rushed forward and grabbed you from behind. Your crutches fell to the floor in a loud clang as you thrashed in his arms, wiggling your body to and fro. He held onto you tightly, "Hey-hey Hey! Easy, Easy! Calm down! It's ok, I gotcha." He whispered soothingly in your ear.

"Let me go Leo!! I don't want it!! I hate shots! I hate them!!" You were panting in his arms, your body now limp seeing as it was futile to fight against his strength.

He didn't loosen his hold, knowing full well the moment he did you'd be out of that room faster than a toupee in a hurricane.  He tried reasoning with you, "But if it could help, I think it's worth a try, don't you?" You pouted in his arms stubbornly. He rested his chin on your shoulder, "Would it help if you held on to me?"

' Not really ' is what you wanted to say. Regardless of who you were holding Donnie was still going to stab you with that thing. Groaning, you knew they were both just trying to help and reluctantly you nodded. Grinning, Leo brought you over and sat you down on the medical table in the middle of Donnie's lab.

You gripped Leo's hand tightly and looked back at Donnie, waiting in anticipation for the shot.

Leo tugged your chin back towards him and whispered tenderly, "Don't worry about what he's doing, just look at me."

Caressing your cheek, his touch left a hot streak of electricity buzzing across your skin.

He tucked a stray hair behind your ear and studied your face appreciatively, taking in all the small nuances. There was a fading path of childhood freckles that graced your cheeks and nose. Smiling, he thought they reminded him of a constellation of stars, waiting to be explored. His eyes roamed down to your lips. They were soft, sweet and enticingly full. He imagined the hundreds of men that had been innocently tempted by them. Reluctantly, he drug his eyes back up to yours.

Your body flushed under his hot gaze. How many times had you gotten lost in those deep blue pools of his? Your heart pumped rapidly as your brain tried to reason through the static haze he was lulling you into. You were so focused on him that you barely registered what Donnie was saying to you.

"Ok, you're going to feel a pinch like this," as he pinched you, he discreetly administered the shot, "Alright?"

You nodded and squeezed your eyes shut. "Great, here comes the shot in 3..2..1..annnnnd we're done!"

You blinked as you turned back towards him, "but I didn't feel a pinch after the pinch!"

"Well I guess I'm just that good at giving shots then." He subtly winked at Leo.

"Wow!!! You're amazing Donnie!! I seriously didn't feel a thing!" You looked at the small bandaid he placed on your arm.

"See? That wasn't so bad was it?" He looked between you and Leo, your hands still intertwined. "The two of you can let go of each other now..." You quickly parted from one another, flushing a deep red. Leo scratched his head awkwardly, "G-Glad I could help..."

Donnie cleared his throat, "the medicine should cut the healing time in half. One dose today, and then tomorrow we'll give you another one."

You groaned, "I have to get another one?!"

"Yes, but on the bright side, you should be almost healed up the day after that!" Donnie grinned at you. 

Shots aside, you had to admit that would be pretty impressive. "Donnie, you could make a lot of money off of this stuff! We dancers are always spraining or hurting something in our feet."

Donnie paused at this new information. You were a dancer? The pieces were clicking into place, it made sense now why you knew so much about ballroom dancing, and why you were so good at teaching it.

He smiled ruefully back at you, "Yes well, the whole turtle appearance doesn't really evoke a lot of confidence in people that your inventions are going to work."

You frowned, not that you weren't guilty of the same thing, but it was sad with as much as they did for the city that society would struggle accepting them because of their appearance. You wrapped Donnie in a fierce hug, "Well, I appreciate you."

He was taken back by your sudden embrace, but after a moment he grinned and hugged you back, "Thanks (y/n)."

He knew he shouldn't be, but Leo found himself getting agitated watching you with his brother. Weren't you guys hugging a little too long? He shook his head.  What is wrong with me?! Ive been acting so possessive lately.

You let go of Donnie, smiling up at him. He grinned back down at you, "Well, I better get back to fixing the van. No rest for the weary right?" He pulled you a little closer so he could whisper to you, "And thanks again... for your help with you-know-what."

You winked at him, "it's no problem D!" And with that, he scuffled away into his den of gadgets, leaving only you and Leo in the room.

You hobbled back over to Leo. He tilted his head, "What was that all about?"

You waved him aside, "Ah, It's nothing."

Leo was already agitated, and he knew something else was going on. He prodded a little further, "Really..... Ok then, would you mind explaining to me why Donnie was really on top of you when I got here?"

You could feel yourself starting to sweat. You weren't good at lying, but you had also promised Donnie not to say anything. A mans pride was certainly a worthy thing to protect right? However, you also didn't want Leo to misunderstand the situation either. Finding a guy on top of a girl alone in a room certainly wouldn't seem like an innocent scenario. Besides, it wasn't Donnie that you wanted, it was....

You stopped your brain from going any further.  Nope, he already has his heart set on Karai, I can't just waltz in and think that he might....that maybe he would...

It didn't matter anyways. Regardless of how he felt about you, you didn't want him getting the wrong idea that you were after his brother.

"Honestly Leo, it was just an accident, he just fell on top of me."

He eyed you, "before you said you had slipped, and he was trying to save you though."

You gulped,  Dangit he's sharp . "T-that's what I mean, he accidentally fell on top of me while trying to catch me." You tried to move further away from him.  Quick! Change the topic (y/n),  "So... I think I hear Mikey watching one of the new movies he got from me! We should go check it out!"  Smooth. Really smooth.

Leo wasn't fooled though. Maybe it was because he caught you two whispering to each other, or because he felt your hug had been unnecessarily long, but Leo felt a pang of jealousy shoot through him. "Don't change the subject. Why were you-"

"Good GRAVY Leo! Why are you asking me all these questions?!" You'd gone from uncomfortable to irritated at his rapid fire.

He clenched his hands, "BECAUSE I know you're hiding something from me! And not just today, but last night when you and Mikey got home." He shot back. You both glared at each other in a mini stare down.

Your heart ached. Why was this happening?! You two were having such a nice moment when Donnie was giving you the shot, and now you were throwing darts at each other.

Finally you broke, "ok, fine, you're right. I  AM hiding something from you."

He smirked victoriously, "I knew it! Tell me then."

"No." You turned to start leaving again.

"What?!" He caught your arm, "Why not?!"

"Because it's none of your business and I don't want to! So stop asking!" You jerked your arm out of his grasp and made your way to the living room where Mikey and Raph were watching one of the movies he'd borrowed from you.

Leo gritted his teeth.

What were you hiding from him?

 

 


	11. Words of Wisdom and Foolish Actions

It had been 2 days since the lab incident with Donnie. You had since gotten your additional shot and could feel the miraculous difference in your ankle. Donnie said to stay on your crutches just a bit longer, but really you felt like you didn't need them anymore.

Today you were chilling with Raph, grabbing whatever weights he needed for his workout. Neither of you talked much, but you liked the silence. It was a nice reprieve from Leo's constant badgering as of late.

"(Y/n)?"

It's not that you blamed him for wanting to know what happened that day. The position he'd found you and Donnie in was fairly compromising to say the least.

"Hellooo? (y/n)?"

You bristled,  it's not like he has to know EVERYthing that goes on though! Why can't he just let it go?! 

"YO! .....(Y/N)!"

A gruff voice snapped you out of your thoughts. You were holding a weight in your hands that Raph wasn't quite able to reach.

Rising from the bench, he towered over you, "If you're gonna daydream, go hangout with Mikey instead." Huffing in annoyance, he snatched the weight from you.

"Sorry Raph." You looked away from him.

Pumping the weight with his arm into a curl, Raph shot a quick glance in your direction. Your face was scrunched up in thought as you puzzled over something. You hadn't been your usual chipper self, and it bothered him.

He grumbled. What was he supposed to say? He didn't really want to butt in, and he wasn't exactly what you'd call the counseling type.

He huffed and dropped the weight on the floor, putting his hands up. "Ok, what's up?"

You looked at him confused.

"You've been moppin' around since ya got here."

You scratched your neck, you hadn't meant to be so obvious. You already knew if you told Raph he'd just lecture you with an "I told you so" which you were super not in the mood for.

He sighed, "whatever, it's cool if you don't wanna tell me. Leo's better at this kinda stuff anyways." He saw your face flinch at the mention of Leo's name.

 

He sighed,  figures .

 

He cleared his throat, "Look kid, idk what's goin' on with you, but ya seem like the kinda person who doesn't beat around the bush. So whatever the problem is, just grab it by the balls and give it a good shake to let it know who's boss."

You tried to stifle a laugh thinking of Leo's face if you suddenly grabbed him by the balls.

"I know. I just don't know what to say without..."

 

Compromising somebody else...

 

Raph came around and patted you on the head, "Yeah well, sometimes even when you're not sure what to say, it's better to talk things out instead of keeping it all in."

You quirked and eyebrow at him, "that's the pot calling the kettle black."

He shrugged his shoulders and grinned at you, "I never said I was a good example"

You laughed, a welcome sound to Raphs ears. "Now, ya gonna help me with these weights or what?"

 

* * *

 

Leo paced in his room alone.

2 days and he still hadn't gotten any closer to finding out what you were hiding from him. Being the eldest of his brothers, he was pretty good about whittling out the truth from his siblings. With you though, it's like the more he dug, the more closed off you became, and it was driving him crazy!

He'd gone to the dojo to let off some steam. Maybe he was just upset because he'd mistakenly felt like the two of you had grown closer to each other. You had started opening up more and... that connection he felt when he held you in his arms... was all of that meaningless? He hit the punching bag.

{PUNCH}

Not that he expected anything exceedingly deep to have developed already, the two of you had, after all, only just met. Still, he missed talking with you. He cursed his overprotective behavior.

{PUNCH-PUNCH}

He grunted, chalking up his feelings towards you as just a general concern for your overall well-being.

{PUNCH PUNCH PUNCH}

Whatever. You were so-

{PUNCH}

Stupid.

{PUNCH}

And bullheaded.

{PUNCH}

Who the heck would be attracted to someone like you?

{PUNCH PUNCH PUNCH PUNCH PUNCH PUNCH}

He grumbled, knowing he was only kidding himself. There were a lot of great things about you. Too many things. He hit the punching bag rapidly, venting all of his frustrations and emotions into the tattered and beaten leather. Once his energy was spent, he leaned against the bag, panting, trying desperately to regain control of his emotions.

Girls. Who could understand them anyways? Now that he thought about it, what was Karai up to? He hadn't seen her recently during any of his patrols. Maybe he'd see her tonight and help clear up his head a little. Grabbing a towel, he wiped the sweat from his brow, resting his face in the soft material as he sighed in frustration. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't hear his brother Donnie enter the room.

"Hey." Donnie leaned up against the frame of the door.

Leo jerked with a start. He looked at his brother dejectedly, "oh. Hey."

 

Silence.

 

Donnie was the first to break the awkwardness, "You've been kind of out of it these last couple of days. Is something wrong?"

Leo bristled, "nothings wrong. I just have a lot on my mind."

Donnie rolled his eyes, "Yes well that would explain your overall bad mood and why you've been stomping around the lair."

Leo grunted and turned his back on his brother, "busying" himself with cleaning up the weights around the dojo.

The purple turtle sighed, "if this has anything to do with what happened with (y/n) in my lab I can just tell you. It's just a bit embarrassing is all-"

"I don't want to hear it from you. It's gotta be from her." Leo stilled, looking down sadly at the weights beneath his fingers, "it's gotta be her choice if she tells me or not."

"But that's what I'm trying to tell you, I'm the one who-" he tried to explain, but Leo took his towel and walked briskly past his brother. "I need to take a shower."

Donnie sighed, feeling like he created an unnecessary monster because his pride was at stake. Hopefully you'd be able to bring him out of his funk soon. For all their sakes, because Leo's training was becoming more brutal by the day.

 

* * *

 

Leo flung the door open to his bedroom. As he stomped in he noticed a tiny body sprawled out on his bed. You'd wrapped parts of yourself in his sheets, it was one of the things he found funny about you. Often you'd leave your feet exposed because your body temperature was hot, but by keeping your feet cool everything stayed regulated. Sure enough, your toes peeked out from the covers. He noticed you were holding a book.

You looked up at him with a start. Unsure of what to do, you fidgeted with the page in your hand. Neither of you had been on great talking terms so striking up a conversation was a little hard. You could tell Leo felt equally unsure of how to approach you by the way he fidgeted in the doorway. In any other situation you would have laughed and found his timidness cute.

He walked over slowly to you, "reading a book?" Mentally he cursed himself.  No Leo, she's just staring at pages for the fun of it.

You nodded your head, "Yeah, it's one of yours actually. Sorry I didn't ask before taking it."

He sat carefully down on the edge of the bed as if he was approaching a timid animal that could flee at the slightest unexpected noise. It'd been a while since you two had talked normally and he didn't want to mess it up. He didn't want you to shut yourself away from him again. "It's fine. Which one is it?"

You flipped it over to show him the cover, "The Book of Five Rings. Musashi is a pretty interesting guy. Not to mention an extremely skilled swordsman!"

Leo grinned, it was one of his favorites, both the author and the book itself. He nodded in agreement, "yes, I often think he was an amazing swordsman because he was a wise man first. You should read his other book, Path of Aloneness, it's also pretty eye opening. A lot of what Master Splinter teaches us is actually based on these books."

"Really?! I'll have to check it out then!" You smiled at him. You'd missed talking to Leo. Avoiding him was killing you, but you also didn't want to keep fighting every time the lab or Mikey incident was brought up.  I have to clear things up, we can't keep going on like this.

Leo sighed, apparently thinking the longer pause was your indication that you were done with this conversation. "Well, I'm going to take a shower." He started to get off the bed, when your hand shot out and grabbed his wrist.

 

"Wait..."

 

You'd reached out and grabbed his wrist without thinking. An awkward silence hung between the two of you as you tried to figure out how you were going to approach the topic.

Leo shifted his wrist and grasped your hand, giving it a small squeeze, "Yes?" His eyes looked at you hopefully.

C'mon (y/n) say something! Your thoughts were going a million miles a minute, but nothing was coming out. "I..." you swallowed the wad of saliva that had formed in your mouth. Leo fully turned to face you, his features softening as he looked at you gently, making it just that much harder to form words.

"I....."

 

Anything will do at this point, just say something!!

 

"Yes?" Leo's voice was deep and husky, his thumb gently rubbed against your palm, causing your treacherous body to shiver slightly with pleasure.

You shut your eyes, hoping that not looking at him would help you focus better. However, your brain went on strike, and you instantly regretted the words that splurged forth from your mouth, "I...... I THINK I'LL SLEEP IN RAPHS ROOM TONIGHT!" You blurted.

 

What?! No!!!

 

It was too late though, you looked up and saw the hurt in Leo's eyes. He dropped your hand from his grasp. The silence that proceeded was deafening, causing the blood in your veins to turn to ice. You flinched when he finally spoke, his voice void of emotion as he murmured, "If that's what you want."

 

No!! It's not!!  Your mind screamed.

 

You felt your head nod almost imperceptibly against your will. You'd dropped your eyes away from him, but could still feel his gaze on you. Without another word Leo turned and left towards the shower.

Your heart was hammering in your chest. What just happened?! WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! That's not what I wanted to say at all!! Maybe a part of you was hoping that he'd turn around and tell you no, that he wanted you to stay with him. You could feel tears stinging the corners of your eyes.

Stop it. You're the one that put yourself in this mess.

Wiping your eyes you sighed and started gathering your stuff together before Leo got out of the shower. You trudged to Raphs room like someone who'd been condemned.

 

* * *

 

Leo stood with his forehead resting against the shower wall. The water ran down his body, sinking down to the ground much like his feelings. He hadn't expected you to say you wanted to stay with Raph. Had things really gotten so bad? Could you really not stand to be around him that much?

His thoughts were dark, and he cursed silently. He hated this. It was probably good that he was about to go on patrol, because staying here in the lair would have driven him crazy knowing his brother was allowed the pleasure of your company when he wasn't. He slapped the handle roughly to turn the water off, only to stand there motionless for another 5 minutes as the water dripped from his emerald skin. Grabbing a towel he dried himself off haphazardly.

Stepping back into his room, he looked around and noticed you'd already gathered your stuff and left. It felt empty without you. Even when you two were bickering, he still loved your presence. He sat on the edge of his bed, shoulders slumped as he buried his face between his hands. Glancing to the side, he noticed you'd left the book you were reading. He idly rubbed his hand over the well worn cover, as if the action could somehow magically will your presence back into existence.

Pitching himself backwards onto his bed, he began to wonder, was it really worth it?  Was knowing what happened with his brothers really worth your absence? He stared at the ceiling, wishing he could find the answer etched somewhere there. Turning, he nuzzled his nose into the pillow, the smell of your shampoo still lingering on the fabric. He sighed again.

 

I'm such an idiot.

 

 


	12. Apology Cake

The night was cool, and the city remained alive and bustling with activity. The tall buildings twinkled with the lights of late night workers toiling under unreasonably tight deadlines. So focused on their own work, it's no wonder that no one noticed the green blur that weaved in and out of the shadows.

"Damnit" Leo cursed. Patrol was supposed to help keep his mind off of you, but he found it actually allowed him even more time to think. To top it off, the more he stewed on his idiocy, the more irritable he got.

An alarm sounded in the distance. Leo looked over and saw a handful of the Foot clan emerging from a store.

He jumped down from his perch, "You're just in time guys, I needed to blow off some steam."

The alleyway erupted into a symphony of clanging metal. Even with sheer numbers on their side, the ninjas didn't land a single blow on him. He sighed, "Jeez, they weren't even worth the effort." Looking at the items they were stealing, he recognized the capsules of mutagen right away. "Hopefully Donnie can make more retromutagen out of this." He began gathering up the capsules when his thoughts drifted back to the Lab, "maybe I should just ask Donnie what happened..." he grit his teeth, frustrated at his own weakness of wanting to know. Leo was so immersed in his thoughts that he barely registering that someone had landed behind him.

"I was hoping you'd show up." The person practically purred.

He recognized that voice. Karai. However, her presence didn't muster up the butterflies he usually felt when he was near her.

Distractedly he tossed a casual glance over his shoulder, "Oh, hey."

Karai flinched. He was normally beside himself when he saw her. It was cute and all, but a little too easy for her taste. 

Curious, she looked at him and smirked. "Since you're done playing with my dads henchmen, why don't you try an actual fight? Winner gets those capsules." She ran her finger over his shoulder blades as she came around to stand in front of him. "What do you say? A little one on one could be fun." Karai looked up at him from beneath her long lashes. She added a little bait to sweeten the deal, "unless of course, you're afraid of losing to me."

Leo gripped the mutagen a little tighter. His eyes looked at Karai, but weren't registering her at all. Her sensual touch only fueled his thoughts of what Raph might be doing with you right now. You two had been working out together lately, his irritation peaked at the thought of his brothers rough hands touching your body as he spot checked you for weights. His imagination began to spiral out of control, the fake Raph in his mind slithered his hands over your hips and up your sides, he looked over at Leo and smirked pervertedly. Leo tried to run to you, but his body wouldn't budge, held by an invisible force and rooting him to the spot. Raph laughed maliciously, knowing his brother couldn't do anything to prevent him from having his way with you. He trailed his tongue up along your ear, causing you to let out a sweet moan. " NO !" Leo banged his hands against the capsule. Karai jumped at his sudden outburst.

Realizing he was still with Karai he shook his head. The images wouldn't leave his mind  though, and he couldn't stand to be there a moment longer. Leo brushed her hand off his shoulder as he turned to leave, "Sorry. Some other time maybe."

"What th?!" Karai clenched her teeth in frustration. "So you  are afraid!"

He glanced back at her. "No, I'm just not in the mood right now." With that he took off with the mutagen.

Karai balled her hands into fists. He had barely even looked at her. For the first time since she had met Leo, Karai was...

 

Intrigued.

 

Humph. Well, two can play this game.

 

* * *

 

Leo rushed back to the lair as quickly as his feet could carry him. Running into Donnie's lab he practically threw the mutagen on the table and looked around the room frantically. "Have you seen (y/n)?" He was panting and out of breath.

Donnie tilted his head, "Yeah"

Leo waited impatiently for him to elaborate. When it was clear he wasn't going to continue he snapped at him, "Well?!"

"Well what?" Donnie chuckled, knowing perfectly well what Leo was asking for. Considering how much hell he'd put them through the last couple of days, Donnie was ok making his brother suffer a little.

Marching over and grabbing him by the shoulders Leo shook his brother roughly, "Donnie for the love of- where IS she???"

Donnie could see in his eyes he was desperate, borderline panicking, "Jeez Leo, calm down! She's in the kitchen!" He'd no sooner gotten the words out of his mouth when Leo sprinted out the door.

 

Donnie smirked knowingly.  Finally !

 

* * *

 

Leo rushed through the lair, formulating a plan for how best to approach you. Should he start by apologizing profusely for being a complete bonehead? Probably, it's what got him into this mess in the first place. Then again, even if he got himself out of that frying pan, there was still the case of you staying with his brother. And all this was subject to whether or not you would even listen to him. He grimaced, what if he put his foot in his mouth again and made you more upset? These thoughts swirled in his mind, but as soon as he graced the entrance to the kitchen, all his plans turned to white noise.

There you were, just like Donnie said you'd be. You hadn't noticed him yet because your back was turned. Leo could see you were using the mixer to make something, though he wasn't sure what, but the room smelled amazing. He approached you silently, holding his breath as he got closer. You were humming a soft tune to yourself, he didn't realize you had such a nice voice.

When he was about a foot away, he cleared his throat, "*ahem* um...(y/n)?" his heart sank as he saw your back stiffen at the sound of his voice. Turning off the mixer, you slowly faced him and he grinned noticing the flour that dusted your cheeks and nose.

"Hey" you waved nervously at him.

"Hey" he replied back. Why had it taken him so long to get to this point? He'd missed you, albeit more than he was willing to admit. He didn't want to wait any longer, he had to get this off his chest before he burst. Taking a deep breath he grabbed both of your flour ladened hands in his. "Look (y/n) I... I'm sorry."

 

You felt your breath catch in your throat.

 

"I shouldn't have badgered you to tell me something you weren't comfortable with. I don't know what's wrong with me. Sometimes I... I just get so overprotective of you, and then... idk. I just kinda lose my mind I guess." He shifted, looking down at his feet embarrassed for his behavior. You remained silent, and he couldn't bring himself to look up at you, afraid of what he'd read in your face, "I really am sorry, I promise I won't bother you about the lab incident or Mikey again."

You hadn't said anything, and curiosity finally got the better of him. He looked up and saw you grinning from ear to ear. A light blush crossed his cheeks, he hadn't realized how much he'd missed your smile. You were radiant, like the sun, and he felt his fear and regret slowly melting away, allowing him to finally breath again.

You'd dropped his hands and fully plunged your arms around his neck, pulling him down into a tight embrace. Leo froze, unsure of what to do with his own hands. Would it be too forward of him to pull you closer? After a moment he found he didn't care anymore and hugged you firmly to his chest. He felt like his heart could burst from happiness at any given moment. Nestling his nose into the crook of your neck, he inhaled your scent, your sweet intoxicating scent that he loved so much. You slightly parted from one another, but stayed close enough that Leo could still rest his forehead on yours.

You were so grateful it was over. Finally things could go back to the way they were. You looked up into his beautiful blue eyes.

"Leo..."

"Wait! Before you say anything..." Leo pushed you slightly away from him. Taking a deep breath, he rested his hands lightly on your hips, and your body rippled with pleasure at his touch. You looked at his face and didn't understand what you saw, his expression was both nervous and borderline pleading. His voice came out shaky, unsure, "I... I want you to stay..."

You tilted your head in confusion. "Stay?"

Leo scratched his cheek nervously as he nodded, "With me. Please." He looked you straight in the eyes, "I don't want you to be with anyone else. Please, stay with me... not Raph."

Your eyes widened, realizing what he was trying to say. You grinned sheepishly at him, "oh, well I'm glad to hear you say that 'cause... I kinda already put all my stuff back in your room eh-heh."

He blinked at you dumbly. "I thought you were going to stay with Raph tonight?!"

You scratched your head, embarrassed at the situation, "Yeah well, I told him what I'd done and he basically kicked me out of his room and told me to grow a pair and talk to you."

Leo felt a pang of guilt for having thrown his brother in a bad light, when in reality he was at home helping him. He made a mental note to thank Raph after this.

A ding went off. You whirled around, grabbing two hot pads to remove the item in the oven. As you set it down on the stove, Leo recognized that you'd been baking a cake. Turning back around to him sheepishly, you continued, "So, anyways... I figured I should bake you an apology cake for the way I've been acting. You just got home earlier than I expected." You blushed, "It's um, it's a carrot cake. I wasn't sure what you liked." You ran your finger along the side of the mixing bowl, swiping up a sample of the cream cheese frosting you'd been creating before Leo walked in. You held out your finger to him, "Do you want to try it?"

Leo looked at you, then at your finger. As if responding to your question, his eyes locked onto yours as he grabbed your wrist and gently pulled your finger closer to his mouth. His tongue lazily slipped out as he slowly lapped up the frosting. You shuddered feeling his slick muscle twist itself up and down and around your finger, sucking and pulling it deeper into his mouth. You rubbed your thighs together, feeling a deep arousal gnawing at the pit of your stomach.

Leo's other hand slid maddeningly slow around your waist as he pulled you closer to him. His evil little mouth kept pulling and sucking on your dainty member, and you could feel yourself beginning to pant. When did it become so hard to breathe?

"L-Leo.... I think you got it all..." you squirmed in his arms.

He released your finger temporarily, whispering huskily against your tender flesh, "Not yet." His tongue trailed down your now soaked member to the palm of your hand. He flicked his tip in and out between the webs of your fingers, earning him an audible and pleasurable gasp from your lips. You would have crumpled to the floor had he not been holding on to you, your legs nothing but useless pegs of rubber at this point.

Finishing his menstruations, Leo panted into your hand, "Yeah, I like it. I like it a lot..." his hot breath tickled your wet palm as your heart raced with excitement. 

 

He's talking about the frosting right?! The way he looked at you though could lead you to believe otherwise.

 

Leo's brain started kicking back into gear. He chastised himself,  Great, we just make up and I'm already doing something weird to her. Though...  he peered down at your flushed cheeks...  you didn't seem to mind ... his heart ached desperately in his chest. What is happening to me?!

He was used to being in complete control of his emotions. He'd labored through hours of meditation, continually training himself to keep his guard up at all times, but around you it felt like he lost all his capacity to reason through anything. Was this how guys normally felt about girls they were overly protective of? His hands tightened around you, he didn't want to let you go. It'd been too long since he held you close like this, felt your warmth against his body, or smelled the sweet scent of your shampoo.

Your words stumbled like a drunk person from your mouth, your voice sticking to your throat like the scratch of cotton candy, "W-would you um... like some um...?" You looked up at him, hoping he'd understand.

 

He grinned down at you, "Yeah, I'd love some cake."

 

 


	13. I Can’t Catch a Break

Unraveling himself from you, Leo sat down at the table as you cut him a slice of cake. "I wasn't expecting you back so soon! Why'd you return home early?! N-not that I mind or anything!" You tucked a strand of hair behind your ear.

Leo flushed, there really wasn't a good way of explaining his frustration at the thought of his brothers hands all over you. Especially after he heard that Raph was in fact the reason you two were able to work things out. He was beginning to understand your stance on not wanting to divulge certain information. His brain searched for how he could explain why he came back without telling you the whole truth. 

"Well... I..." he'd been in such a panic to get home he'd even cut his conversation with Karai shor-

His heart dropped.  OMG KARAI!  He groaned, "omg she's never going to talk to me again!!" 

Not understanding the context of what he was saying you tilted your head, "Who?!"

"Karai! I left her in the middle of a conversation to come home and, oh man she probably hates me now!!" He was freaking out.

You flinched at the mention of her name.  It's ok , you told yourself,  this is what I promised to help him with . You took a deep breath trying to calm your frustrated feelings.

We're just... friends, after all.

You put on your best, brave supportive face.

Taking his hand in yours, you tried to calm him down, "ok just breath, I'm sure everything is fine, we can work something out." Leo stood up and started pacing the floor.

You took hold of his face, "Leo, look at me." His eyes swam, unfocused with worry. "Tell me what happened."

_What happened? What happened was... I was only thinking of you._ That was the truth of the matter.

Leo sighed, scratching the back of his neck nervously, "I was thinking about our argument, and I realized how stupid I'd been acting. Around that time, I saw The Foot stealing some mutagen, and when I was done beating them, Karai showed up and tried to get me to fight her. Honestly I was so focused on getting home to apologize to you that I kinda just blew her off..." He hung his head.

As you listened intently, a part of you grinned that getting back home to you superseded his attention to Karai. You stepped back to think for a moment. "Well no use worrying about it now. What's done is done. When's your next patrol?"

"Tomorrow afternoon"

"Ok, well if you run into her again, tell me how it goes, and we can make a plan on how to proceed from there." He fidgeted uneasily. You hated seeing him like this, and no matter how much you told him not to worry about it, you could see his mind replaying the scene over and over again. Toying with Leo's plate of cake, you suddenly got an idea, a mischievous grin spread across your face. "In the meantime..." you picked up the spongy mass and, before he could react, smooshed it into his face, "Enjoy your apology cake."

A piece dripped off, exposing Leo's unamused expression. He scowled at you, "What was that for?! That's a perfectly good waste of cake!"

You laughed at him, "I'm sorry, I was aiming for your mouth, guess I missed. Here let me help clean it off." Your other hand came swinging around with a handful of cream cheese frosting in it. Leo  caught you by the wrist, but the momentum was already too much. The frosting propelled out of your hand like a slingshot, landing with a wet smack on the side of his face.

You snorted with glee as you watched the white creamy substance slide down his emerald green skin. He smirked down at you, his anxious looks replaced with a playful grin, "I see you haven't faced a ninja in the art of food fighting. Watch and learn young grasshopper." Faster than you could process, Leo wiped the mixture of frosting and cake off his face and squished the goopy mess against your cheeks. 

Pulling out of his grasp you laughed, "oh it is ON ninja man!!" You both rushed the counter, trying to get there before the other. Leo ripped the flour bag out of your reach and flung handfuls of powder at you. Your hair and body became coated in the white dust, making you look like a pastry ghost. Not to be outdone, you grabbed the carton of eggs and began chucking them at him, peppering his chest with eggshells and snotty liquid. He tried using the chopping board as a shield to deflect your onslaught of yolk bombs. Arming himself with a carrot, he stood in front of you like a food knight, wielding his edible sword. He smirked at you, "En guard!"

You grabbed the remaining carrot on the counter, swiveling to meet his advances. You both laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation, when suddenly someone cleared their throat behind you.

"And what do we have here?" Donnie and Mikey stood in the doorway, eyeing the mess you two made. Cake and yolk dripped from Leo's face as he grinned sheepishly from his brothers back to you. "Uhhh.... we're making cake?" He offered up the (thankfully) unharmed portion of cake that you had yet to frost.

You laughed wiping the flour and debris off your face, "Do you guys want a slice?"

Donnie eyed it skeptically as he looked around the kitchen, "I dunno... do we?"

Mikey sniffed at it, "What is it?!"

"It's carrot cake! Lemme just finish frosting it!" The boys sat down and waited for you to finish your concoction. Serving them each a slice, you waited in anticipation for the final verdict. With the first bite, the turtles sank down into their chairs, bliss written across their faces.

"Please don't ever leave us." Mikey hummed as he munched on his slice. Donnie nodded his head in agreement, "Your culinary skills are really quite impressive!"

"Awe stop it guys! You're gonna make me blush." Giggling you turned and started cleaning up the kitchen.

"Hey, don't worry about cleaning up." Leo came over and rested his hand on yours. "I'll do it, you've done enough by just baking the cake. Thank you by the way, it was delicious!" He grinned at you.

Mikey and Donnie shared a secret grin between themselves as they watched the two of you.

"It's ok! I don't mind cleaning up!" You tried to object. Leo swiped some frosting off your cheek, eyeing you teasingly as he licked it off his finger, "why don't you go take a shower? I got this, it's really the least I can do." You blushed at his gesture, nodding shyly, "o-ok!" You turned swiftly before he could see your reddened state. It must have been too late though, because you could hear him chuckling softly behind you as you made your quick escape.

Leo watched your retreating figure as you exited the kitchen, he grinned to himself, glad you two were able to make up. Turning back to his brothers, he was momentarily caught off guard by their Cheshire Cat grins. Mikey was the first to break the silence. "Sooooooooooo? I take it you two made up?" Leo blushed, fidgeting on the spot, "Y-Yeah... Sorry for my behavior over the last couple of days."

Donnie tilted his head, "So you guys talked about what she was keeping from you then?"

Leo shook his head, "No. I'm sure she has her reasons for not saying anything." He looked at his brothers and scowled, "It better be something important anyways for me to have gone through all this." Both Donnie and Mikey visibly relaxed hearing you hadn't spilled the beans on either of them. Leo glared at them, still somewhat irritated he didn't know what was going on between the three of you.

Just let it go Leo, just let it go...  he chanted to himself. He turned back to the mess you guys had made and started cleaning.

 

* * *

 

Weird fact, cream cheese frosting is shockingly hard to get off. The places it landed left a weird greasy film on both your skin and hair. Somehow you were able to remove it, however the process took much longer than you expected.

As you let the water rush down your body, your eyes idly dropped to the finger Leo had licked the frosting off of. You held it in front of you, remembering the sensation of his tongue running over it, teasing out the electricity from your body. Hesitantly, you brought it closer to you, running it softly over your lips before slipping it into your mouth. Could you still taste him on your finger? Probably not, but you liked to imagine you could. You tried to recreate the feeling he gave you by slipping your finger in and out from between your lips, your dainty tongue swirling around the base of your finger up to its tip. You sucked and teased your wet skin, bending it to stroke and explore the soft muscle in your mouth. You sighed, your other hand played across your abs, trailing sweetly up your body to caress your breasts as you imagined his hands running over you. His fingers teased your sensitive buds until their peaks stiffened, his thumbs rolling them gently beneath his touch. Your back arched as you inserted another finger into your mouth, imagining something else invading it as you sucked and pulled more vigorously at your fingers, your tongue thrashing wildly around them. Your body was on fire in a way you had never felt before, a burning so deep within the pit of your stomach you could ignite at any second. As your imagination began to feed off the sweet sensations you were eliciting, you could feel yourself beginning to moan. Goosebumps scattered across your body as the occasional stray water strand hit your aroused peaks. "L-Leo..." you gasped and sighed in pleasure. Something ached to be released, and your hands instinctively began their slow methodical decent down your body, a thrill running through you as you passed over more sensitive areas of your abdomen.  Leo would do that, he'd take his time, torturing me like this.  You shifted your legs apart, playing with the outer lips of your womanhood that were swollen with desire. You sucked in a quivering breath of air as you imagined Leo rubbing your walls tenderly, massaging them into submission with his thick fingers. He'd pant against your neck, whispering huskily if you liked this, before slowly placing his finger right above your hardened bud. Your finger was poised, ready to take the final stroke towards your throbbing bundle of nerves, when something suddenly fell from the shelves. You jumped, startled at the sudden sound.

Panting, your half lidded eyes looked around, noting the bottle of shampoo lying on the floor. You shook your head,  what am I doing?!  This was so unlike you to have these types of thoughts, let alone actually act upon them. Your body still burned, but you had to get out, you'd already stayed in here far too long.  Leo's going to think I died in here.

Drying yourself off you stepped out of the shower, your phone blaring some of your favorite tunes. Though you liked hearing the music, the phones small speakers sounded tinny, and you preferred the robust sound that came from your earbuds. Quickly slipping on your underwear and shorts, you plugged your earbuds in and placed your phone in your back pocket as you continued to get dressed. Bobbing your head to the beat, you rummaged around in your pile of clothes.

Ugh, this always happens, where the heck did my bra go?!

 

* * *

~ meanwhile, outside the bathroom ~

 

Leo tentatively cracked open the door to his bedroom. He called out to you before entering, "(y/n)? Are you decent?"

No answer.

He hesitated, "Can I come in?" When there was still no response, he poked his head inside. He listened carefully, noting that the shower wasn't running. "(Y/n)?" He absentmindedly looked around before coming to stand in front of the decorative wall mat that separated his room from the bathroom. "Hellooo? (Y/n)?" When there was still no response he began to wonder if you'd already left. He shrugged,  I guess I might as well get cleaned off as well. He drew back the mat and froze.

You were bent over the side of the toilet fishing for something, your bare back completely exposed to him. When you finally stood up, you triumphantly held in your hand the black lacy bra you had been searching for.

Oblivious to his presence, you began snapping the straps in place, swinging your hips to the beat of whatever tunes you were listening to. Your hair clung to your shoulders, trickling fresh beads of water down your spine. The droplets continued down before pooling at the small of your back, breaking away over your gyrating hips while others ventured daringly past the slightly gaping border of your shorts.

Leo watched, hypnotized as your fingers skimmed over your smooth skin, searching for the loops to lock into. He noted the cute scattering of moles on your back, they shifted as your shoulders flexed and your back arched, accommodating for the odd positioning it took to reach behind you. When you'd finally clasped everything together, you trailed your fingers along your arms pulling the straps up over your shoulders. Leo flinched as the bands snapped  against your flesh. He gulped, knowing he should look away, yet lacking the will to do so.

When you finally turned around, you realized there was somebody else present in the bathroom besides you.

You stopped, stuck in a mental stare-down with the blue bandana turtle as you registered your situation. Leo's blood turned to ice as he realized what this probably looked like to you. His face instantly flushed a red he didn't even know he was capable of.

He frantically began waving his hands in front of him, "I.... I'm so sorry!!! I called and you didn't answer s-so I thought you were gone!!! I didn't do it intentionally I promise!!!" Seeing your earbuds in, he realized you couldn't hear a word he was saying. He looked at your face, a vivid scarlet flashed across your cheeks while your eyes flickered between complete embarrassment and total rage. You picked up a heavy box of your toiletries, your barely concealed chest heaving with righteous indignation as you glared straight at him.

"GET...."

He fearfully eyed the heavy item, "N-now just hold on-"

"OUT!!!!!!"

Before he could finish his sentence, you hurled the box at him, your aim true as it hit him square in the face. The impact was so great that it catapulted his body backwards and sent him flying past the dividing mat.

"AND STAY OUT YOU PERV!!!" You shouted after him as your body collapsed to the floor in a heap. Your chest heaved with anxiety. If he'd come in just a little bit sooner he would have seen your little erotic display. You buried your face in your hands blushing a furious red at the thought.

 

* * *

 

~ back in the kitchen ~

 

Mikey and Donnie had continued their demolition of the cake when Leo dejectedly shuffled back in. They looked at him in surprise, shocked his body was still covered in cake and egg.

"Weren't you going to go take a shower bro?" Mikey asked.

Head hung low, he pulled up a chair beside his brothers and heaved a heavy sigh. He let his body weight drag him down and face-plant his forehead onto the table.

 

"When am I gonna catch a break?" He mumbled.

 

 


	14. Home is Where the Heart Is

It was bright out, not a ninjas favorite time to be patrolling. There were less shadows, less places to be concealed, but crime doesn't rest. Leo stopped momentarily to survey the neighborhood.  Nothing odd happening here...

His eyes searched the streets and rooftops for two things, the purple dragon and Karai. Seeing that neither of the two were going to appear, he sat down on the ledge of the building and sighed. His mind replayed yet again his last interaction with her. How could he treat her like that? He rested his chin in his hands,  there's no way I can ask her out now...  he thought.  Though... y/n seemed to think I still had a chance. Maybe if i just apologize as soon as I see her she'll forgive me. If nothing else, we can at least go back to the way things were between us...

He sighed again.

"Why the long face?"

Leo's body tensed,  no way!

Karai dropped down next to him, "Hello Leo."

"K-Karai!!" Leo's face lit up seeing her. She's just as beautiful as always. It was a different beauty from yours. Where you radiated with warmth and kindness, Karai draped herself in the cool aloof nature of the moon. Leo himself didn't really understand his draw to her, she was a mystery in more ways than one. Then again, maybe he was just a sucker for a damsel in distress. He'd do anything to get her out of Shredders clutches and bring her back home to Master Splinter, her real father. For now though, he needed to apologize for his behavior.

She eyed him cooly, wanting to test the waters and see if things had in fact changed between the two of them. When she looked at him now though, there was that same expression she was accustomed to seeing. That same adoration of a golden retriever looking up longingly at its master for attention. Still... just to be sure...

She purred, "Not planning on taking off on me again are you?"

Leo fidgeted and looked away, "Sorry about last time, I had... some family issues."

She inched closer to him, her cat eyes zeroing in on their prey. While she never had any romantic feelings invested towards Leo, she found some sick pleasure in toying around with his emotions, knowing she had him wrapped around her little finger. She nudged his chin back, forcing him to look at her, "Hmm? And here I thought you'd lost interest in me. So does this mean I'm not off your wishlist yet?" She slowly traced her finger down his chin, along his neck and to his chest.

He blushed at her touch and his voice momentarily hitched, "O-off my wishlist? What do you mean?"

She took in his reaction.  Hmph. Thought so.

She drew back, satisfied with her secret interrogation. Nothing had changed, he was still the smitten goody-two-shoes that she knew. "Never mind . You were just acting different the last time I saw you." She was once again aloof, the spark of interest in her eye gone.

He could finally breath, but Leo was confused in her sudden change of attitude, "Oh... really it was just family stuff..."

She'd heard all she needed to, there was no need to dwell any longer. "Well, If that's all, then I'll be off. Later Leo." She cast him a casual flip of her hand.

"Karai wait-!" He called after her, but she had already disappeared down the side of the building.

Leo tilted his head in confusion.  What was that all about?

 

* * *

 

Once his shift had ended, he returned back to the lair, his mind still churning over his conversation with Karai. Her attitude had done such a dramatic flip from flirtatious to complete disinterest that it left his head spinning.

"What seems to be troubling you my son?" Leo jumped at the sound of his masters voice behind him.

"Sensei!" He scratched the back of his head and looked down warmly at his father, "It's nothing sensei, just some stuff running through my mind." He smiled reassuringly.

Splinter was no fool, the look on Leo's face was often the same expression he had after he ran into Karai. He sighed, wishing she would not play these emotional games with his son. He was about to impart some words of wisdom to Leo, when riotous laughter erupted from the kitchen.

Leo glanced up, a genuine smile spreading across his face as he picked out your laughter.  Something must have really tickled you, he thought as you began to snort involuntarily. 

Pffffftt!! He covered his mouth, his shoulders shaking with mirth, knowing how embarrassed you got snorting in front of people, but you couldn't help it.

Master Splinter grinned up at Leonardo, watching as his sons body slowly began to unwind from its tensed state. His previous anxious expression now washed away with laughter. He had much to be grateful to y/n for, but most of all for bringing joy to his sons, for loving them just as they were.

Splinter turned towards the noise, "Leonardo, if I may be so bold to say, it seems that where Karai brings you great anxiety, y/n is able to lift your spirits. It is easy to bring darkness to others, but to shed light in someone's life is truly a gift that should not be overlooked."

Leo looked at his master confused, "sensei?"

The rat chuckled, stroking his beard wisely. He walked away after giving his son a knowing sideways smile, "It is simply food for thought."

 

* * *

 

Leo walked into the kitchen, where Mikey and Raph had stuffed numerous large marshmallows into their mouth. Drool was beginning to trickle down Raph's chin as he held the puffy masses in his mouth, his struggle to maintain his composure apparent.

"Number 32!" You held up a marshmallow with great authority. Mikey eyed you with glee, while Raph began to sweat profusely. Handing Mikey the marshmallow, he stuffed it with ease into his mouth as he muffled, "t-hubby bunn-ay!"

"ALRIGHT!!" You high-fived him triumphantly. "Aight Donnie, your turn!"

Donnie looked down at Raph who was shaking his head vigorously no. "C'mon Raph! It's just one more." Donnie tried to shove the marshmallow at him but Raph swatted it away. "Stop being a big baby, do you want to wear those hideous things while on patrol??" Donnie took the marshmallow in his hand and forced it into Raph's mouth. His eyes began to water, knowing he was at his limits, "w-wumbby b-b-"

Donnie clenched his fists, "C'mon buddy you can do it!!"

Raph's eyes were practically bulging out of his face. You squealed and smacked Mikey on the shoulder, "Here it comes!!"

No sooner had you said that, Raph's mouthful of marshmallows came spewing out. Everyone hit the floor as slimy white puffs shot out everywhere. Raph heaved, taking great gasps of air, his face planted on the table.

Mikey stood up victoriously, and somehow managed to gulp down the entire mouthful of marshmallows. "Yeah son! You can't beat this King of the Chubby Bunnies!!"

"I can't believe you swallowed that whole thing!!! You're gonna be on a sugar high!" you laughed at him.

Mikey wiggled his eyebrow as he pulled you closer, "Why don't you give me some of your  sugar to add to my collection?" He made a smoochy face at you. Leo tensed up momentarily in the doorway.

You laughed and put a hand on his face shoving him away, "Very funny, but I think you've had more than enough sugar for today!" You looked back at Donnie and a completely exhausted Raph, "As promised, here are the bunny ears that you have to wear for the remainder of the day."

Donnie groaned as he put on his ears, one ear flopping over slightly. Raph didn't even have the strength to fight back as you placed his ears on his head.

Leo couldn't hold back anymore, he began to laugh hysterically at the site of his brothers. Raph's face reddened as he shot up, "J-Just shut it Leo!!" It was no use though, between Raph's embarrassed face and the ridiculous pink rabbit ears perched on his head, it threw Leo into a bigger fit of laughter.

You chimed in, "I have to say, I'm a little surprised you didn't win considering what a big mouth you have." The others "ooooo"d and doubled over in laughter. Raph marched over to you and ground your head between his knuckles, "Wanna repeat that again pipsqueak?!"

"Ah!! Hahahaha I'm sorry! I'm sorry!! Hahaha!" You squirmed against his rough treatment. Raph let you go and sat down with a huff.

You swiveled over to the stove and brought back a plateful of chocolate chip cookies, "here you guys go! A reward for playing the Chubby Bunny game with me!"

If it was possible, Raph's face took on a different shade of green as he bolted from the table, holding his mouth so he wouldn't explode on the spot.

Mikey shook his head, "Man, that's just weak-sauce! Can't even handle a little sugar after the sugar."

You laughed again, "This is actually the final stage of the Chubby Bunny challenge, to see who can stay at the table when more sugar is offered." You glanced at Mikey, "Though most people just spit out the marshmallows after they've won."

Mikey gasped, "What??? That's a perfectly good waste of marshmallows!"

You all sat at the cleaner end of the table and munched on the warm gooey cookies. Leo sat beside you and ruffled your hair, looking down at you adoringly. You'd so quickly become an essential part of their family, he couldn't imagine the lair without you anymore.

You smiled up at him, "Welcome home Leo!"

He grinned from ear to ear, his heart filled with warmth as he nodded, "Mm. I'm home."

 

 


	15. Little Bit of Flirting

Later that night, Leo relayed to you his conversation with Karai while the two of you relaxed on his bed. You propped your back up against the wall as he used your lap as a pillow. You stroked his head gently while his own fingers ran idly along the arm you’d draped over his chest, staring up at the ceiling.

“And then she asked me if she was off my wishlist... or something to that affect..” He stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I didn’t really understand what she meant...”

“Hmm... has she ever said something like that to you before?”

“Not really, I was kinda surprised myself to be honest. She just said I was acting differently the last time. All I can think of is that I didn’t pay as much attention to her since I was trying to hurry back home.”

You tapped your finger to your nose, thinking through the situation. “Sometimes my friends tell me about guys that hit on them that they say are too ‘thirsty’.”

“Thirsty?”

You nodded, “Meaning the guy is overly anxious to please, which, for whatever reason, isn’t an appealing thing I guess?”

Leo tilted his head back and looked up at you in confusion, his sweet blue eyes looking into yours, “Shouldn’t they want to please the girl they like?”

“I’m not saying I understand it, just telling you what they tell me.” You sighed. The dating world was truly much too complex for your taste. “Anyways, maybe in this case you should take a different approach with her, not necessarily being rude, but maybe not being quite so.... eager?”

“Too eager huh?...” Leo mumbled.

You nodded. “So for example, if she tries talking to you, just keep it short and simple, and don’t like... drool all over her.”

He laughed, “Hey! I don’t drool!”

You looked at him mockingly, “Um you’re drooling mentally right now just thinking about her.” You booped his nose.

He batted your finger away, “I am not! Stop that!” You grinned at him.

“Either that or you could...” you thought for a second before shaking your head, “nah never mind, that’d never work.”

“What wouldn’t?”

“Don’t worry about it, there’s honestly no way you could pull it off.” You waved your hand dismissively.

“ What ? Couldn’t pull what off?!” Leo shot up out of your lap, slightly offended. There wasn’t much he considered himself unable to do.

“Eh, I was going to say you could try being more flirtatious but...”

He fidgeted uncomfortably, “But?”

You laughed, “awe come on Leo! There’s no way! That’s totally not your personality at all! You’re way too rigid for that.” You giggled at the image of him trying to be purposefully seductive. Unfortunately, not everyone shared your humor in the matter. You looked up and saw Leo glowering down at you.

 

“ Rigid?? ”

 

You realized your mouth had gotten away from you. You quickly stood up and patted him on the chest, “I-I mean, it’s not a bad thing!! I’m just saying your personality leans more towards “the nice guy” profile than like a “flirtatious tease”.

You clenched your teeth. It was too late, you could tell his feathers were thoroughly ruffled. He brushed your hand off his chest, “Excuse me, I could be flirtatious if I wanted to!!”

You rolled your eyes and smirked at him, “Leo, I’m not saying you couldn’t be flirtatious, it’s just that you’re so cute, you’re more like the really sweet guy who’s super respectful to women.” You nodded to yourself, thinking it was a solid compliment, but his expression seemed to grow even more dark. You quickly tried to redeem yourself, “W-Which by the way, in my opinion, is a lost art in men these days.”

“C-c-cute??” He buried his face in his hands, “I literally feel like all my masculinity is being crushed right now.”

You laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of your neck as you thought desperately of a way to turn this train wreck of a conversation around, “I-It’s ok! I mean, we all have things we aren’t good at. At least you can talk to her! I have a tendency to clam up or turn super red or say stupid things (like this) around the guys I like.” You paused seeing if he’d take the hint, but he just stared at you disgruntled.

 

_Aaaaand over his head._

 

You sighed, for someone as smart as he was, sometimes he could be really dense, “Let’s just go with the first plan and see how that works.”

Leo felt like his pride as a man was slipping away. He shot back, “No! I can do it!”

You waved your hands frantically, “Leo really, I think we should just go with the other idea-“

Leo startled you by grabbing both of your shoulders roughly. He didn’t want to admit you were right. Flirting has always made him uncomfortable. The best he was normally able to do was show off his ninja moves in front of Karai, but that never seemed to gain her interest.

Suddenly, an idea dawned on him. He smirked, lifting your chin up with the tip of his finger, “Why don’t we make a wager then. Give me a scenario, and if I can successfully flirt with you then you have to do anything I tell you. If I can’t pull it off then I’ll do anything you ask of me.”

You grinned back at him, “Fine! Easy win for me. I’m just wondering what I’ll have you do once I’ve come out of this victoriously.” 

“Big words coming from someone who turns red at the slightest touch.” He baited you.

You glared at him, “Shut it! You’re on lover boy. Don’t come crying to me when you lose.” 

He smirked at you, “alright then, what’s the scenario?”

You thought about it for a second, your eyes sparkled mischievously when a certain topic came to mind. “Say for example I came back to the lair late again... what would you do?”

“Like, you purposefully stayed out too late or you forgot when curfew was?”

You shrugged and whispered huskily, “Maybe I forgot, and then again maybe I didn’t. Regardless...” Biting your lower lip, you twisted his bandana tail around your pointer finger, pulling his head closer, “what’re ya gonna do about it?”

 

He gulped, but understood what you were getting at.

 

Ok Leo, think flirtatious. Think flirtatious.  Unfortunately everything he came up with sounded corny.

Suddenly, an idea popped into his brain. It was underhanded, but it was the only way he was going to win this without completely falling apart.

He smiled slyly at you and gently pushed you back against the brick wall. His head dipped down as he purred into your ear, “Well then, as the leader I’d have to discipline you. All. Night. Long. Until it’s thoroughly engrained in your memory.” He bent his head further and nuzzled into the crook of your neck, a delicious chill ran up your spine. The sensation enhanced by the light puff of hot air that tickled your neck from his words. You slipped your hands around the back of his head, playfully running the tips of your fingers up and down his neck. You could already feel his heartbeat accelerating and smirked knowing there was no way he was going to be able to keep this act up for long.

You pulled your head away slightly and traced your pointer finger up the front of his throat to the underside of his chin, directing his stormy blue eyes to look into yours. Cocking a dainty eyebrow you teased him sweetly, “oh really? Tell me ‘leader’, what kind of discipline did you have in mind?” Slowly sliding your leg up along his side, you felt him inhale sharply, but he continued to play along, wrapping his large hand under your thigh.

He could feel himself starting to sweat, he’d never held a girl like this before, but he was determined not to be outdone by you in this game. Holding your gaze, he slid his hand up and down along your bent leg, the tips of his fingers toying dangerously close to your rear. His other hand trailed tantalizingly slow up your curvy hips, slipping along your waist to your side. His fingers caught the hem of your shirt, shifting the fabric up slightly to reveal a teasing amount of skin. He closed the distance between the two of you, his lips mere centimeters away from yours. His voice was low and husky, as if he was telling you a secret, “Torturous, unspeakable discipline. I’ll have you wriggling beneath me, begging me to stop.” Leo cringed inwardly, thoroughly mortified at the things coming out of his mouth. He knew however, that in order to win this battle of wits and wills, he’d have to step things up a bit more before he nailed the final blow. His hand snuck a little further up beneath the fabric of your shirt and played lightly along your skin. He could feel goosebumps peppering your smooth surface even though he’d barely touched you.

Your breathing hitched and he smirked against you. He liked that. “What’s wrong? Feeling a little nervous are we?” He teased. You shook your head vigorously, barely able to choke out the words, “N-n-no!!”

Leo continued, sensing the tables were about to turn, “You’ll be screaming my name, begging for mercy” he pressed his leg between your thighs, and it took everything within you not to moan. He purred against you, “Just remember, you brought this on yourself.” His hand crawled still higher beneath your shirt.

You guys were still playing weren’t you? The pounding of your heart warned you that this was maybe becoming a little too real, moving quickly past mere flirtatious pleasure. You hadn’t expected him to get this far. Your core was on fire, and your breathing was coming out in shallow gasps.

Every inch of your body was tingling, and his fingers were like bolts of electricity to your nerves. His hand continued to travel achingly slow up your shirt. Your breasts began to ache and swell as his hand drew nearer to them. You had to stop this before it went too far. Your head lulled back against the wall as you gasped, “L-Leo! Wait!”

Suddenly, Leo’s hands darted up to your ticklish spots. His fingers wiggled back and forth, zeroing in on the most sensitive areas at your sides. Your mind exploded and your body crumpled at his touch.

 

“Y-YOU BASTARD!!!” Laughing hysterically you writhed in his hands, fighting desperately to get away.

 

Pushing away from him with all your might, you slumped to the floor and crawled on your hands and knees to escape.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Leo chuckled as he grabbed your calfs and pulled you back towards himself. Flipping you on your back, he knelt down and straddled your body, resuming his ticklish assault. “I told you I’d have you wiggling beneath me didn’t I? Now, beg me.”

 

He was Satan.

Of that you were certain now.

 

His eyes gleamed with victory as you thrashed wildly beneath him.

You wheezed between bouts of hysterics, “LEO!!! P-PLEASE!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!! PLEASE STOP!!”

Leo grinned evily as he leaned over you, “Oh but that would be too easy. Let me hear you say it. Say, ‘Please have mercy on me, oh Great Leader!’”

You could barely breathe, tears streamed down your cheeks as you gasped for air, forming barely audible words, “PLEASE! H-AHAHAHA-HAVE MER-HAHAHA!! M-MERCY!!! PLEASE!!

He continued tickling you as he took his sweet time to consider your plight, “Hmm, it’s not quite what I asked for you to say, but I guess it’ll do for now. Do you promise to remember to be home on time?”

“YES!!! YES I PROMISE HAHAHAHA!!! I PROMISE I TELL YOU!!!” Your lungs begged for air.

Relief came swiftly as Leo took his hands away from you.

Unable to keep in character anymore he started laughing hysterically. His hands wrapping around his middle as he tried to contain himself.

“You!!! You JERK!!!” You punched his stomach (with little affect) scowling up at him. “That’s cheating!! You pinky promised not to do anything shifty with my ticklish spots!!!” 

“I said nothing of the sort. I promised you I wouldn’t tell my brothers.” He slyly shot back at you.

You continued banging on his plastron, “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!!!”

Still laughing, Leo grabbed your flailing hands, “Hahahaha! I’m sorry, it was just too tempting! Forgive me?”

Looking away from him you pouted, “no! I won’t forgive you.”

“Awe come on, how can you resist this face?” He grinned sweetly at you, leaning down he brought your hands to his lips in an apologetic gesture for peace.

You glanced at him, trying not to be taken in by his charms. His adorable puppy face was too much for you though, and a small grin began to form at the corner of your mouth. “Maybe. But it will require a lot of graveling and butt kissing on your part.” Taking your hands out of his you wrapped your arms around his neck again.

You grinned up at him, watching as he wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes. Your mind began to wander down an unpleasant rabbit hole; Would he do this kind of thing with Karai? If they got together, would he have as much fun with her as he did with you? Or would he become a completely different person? You didn’t want to see this part of him change. He should be with someone who liked him for who he was. Fear tugged at your heart, that maybe helping him get with Karai might have been a bad idea. 

“Hey Leo?” The humor suddenly gone from your voice.

“Hm?” He tilted his head and smiled down at you still beneath him.

“I know you’re trying to be the right guy for Karai, but...” you traced small circles on his shoulder with your finger. “But, just remember to not lose sight of who you are in the process.”

Leo’s eyes widened and he felt his heart twist at your words, “....(y/n)...” he opened his mouth to say something, when a rough voice broke the moment.

 

“Am I interrupting something?”

 

Both you and Leo jumped, looking over to see Raph crossing his arms scowling at the two of you.

“Oh, Raph!” He cleared his throat nervously “We were, I mean, - I was... just about to take (y/n) to see Donnie for her last checkup.” 

Raph scoffed, “oh really? Because it looks like you’re ‘bout to show her how babies are made.”

You both realized the position you were still in and quickly untangled yourselves from one another.

You stammered, “I-it’s not what it looks like! We were just fooling around!” You winced -  _wrong word choice_ , “I mean, just joking around!”

Leo scratched the back of his head awkwardly and nodded in agreement, “Y-Yeah! Psshh! Obviously! We’re just friends, that would be super weird.”

 

Ouch.

 

You knew it was true, you told yourself that a million times, but actually hearing him say it kinda hurt. You looked up and saw Raph studying you. You tried playing it off, “Yeah! Ew! SUPER weird! Like, flirting with my big brother kind of weird.” You laughed awkwardly. You were so focused on Raph you didn’t notice Leo’s face twitch. 

Hopefully Raph bought it.

Maybe he did, because he didn’t ask any more questions. “Yeah yeah, alright, let’s get you over to Donnie’s then.”

Leo began to object, “I can take her.”

Raph snapped back, “No. Master splinter wants to see you. I’ll take her.” He looked Leo in the eye, “if that’s not a problem of course,  Lea-der .”

Leo stiffened at Raph’s sarcastic tone. “No. That’s fine.” He looked at you apologetically, “Sorry (y/n), but I’ll see you when I’m done.”

You smiled, “alright.” Leo nodded and cupped your chin between his fingers, grinning at you tenderly before he left.

Raph clicked his tongue in annoyance. It was like you and Leo had a miniature world of your own that no one else was allowed into.

 

Whatever. Like he cared.

 

“Alright, come on.” Raph grumbled as he started heading towards Donnie’s lab. His long strides made it hard for you to keep up with him. He looked back at you and rolled his eyes, “jeez you’re slow.” He came back and grabbed you around the waist and hauled you up so you were sitting on his shoulders.

“I was doing fine on my own! You just walk fast!” You pouted.

“Yeah, but I want to get there before next year comes ‘round.” Raph retorted. You’d learned that Raph could be pretty gruff, but his intentions were generally good. 

You hugged the top of his head, “Thanks Raph” He blushed. You always found him to be surprisingly shy when it came to compliments or words of appreciation.

As he continued to walk towards Donnie’s lab he cleared his throat, “s-so, I was thinkin’… if you get a clean bill of health after this check-up n’ all, I could maybe give you some pointers on fighting.”

Flabbergasted you almost asked him to repeat what he just said. “I thought you were against training me?”

He shrugged. “I was, n’ now I’m sayin’ I’m not.”

Skeptical, you wanted to enquire more as to why, but didn’t want to push your good fortune. “If you’re willing to teach, then I’m willing to learn!” You nodded enthusiastically.

Raph smirked, “good, but just cuz you’re a girl, don’t expect me to go easy on ya.”

You smiled, “I wouldn’t want it any other way.” You rested your chin on top of Raph’s head, excited at the new prospect of training with him. 

Raph cleared his throat again, “don’t think this training comes for free though.” You cocked your head, “what did you have in mind?” 

He mumbled something.

“What?” You leaned down closer.

“Pancakes.”

“Pancakes?” You repeated.

“Make me more pancakes.” He looked up at you, and then bashfully looked away. “Please.”

You laughed, “well how can I refuse when you ask so politely?”

Raph grinned at you, “cool.”

 

There was a comfortable silence between the two of you as he drew nearer to Donnie’s lab.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delayed update! I wasn’t sure if I wanted your relationship to shift this direction just yet buuuuuut I kinda liked his teasing 😆 anyways, lemme know if you guys are liking this so far, I’m honestly not sure where to take it from here so suggestions ALWAYS welcome!!
> 
>  
> 
> ***shoutout to hieigrl for letting me know I posted this chapter twice 😳😅 (whoops!) thank you!!!


	16. Walking on Clouds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every secret has a tendency to surface eventually ;)

**Donnie’s POV**

I’d been rushing around my lab, picking up the junk I’d scattered on the floor from my various experiments and creations. Y/n came at the same time every night since that first checkup, and, as promised, she’d helped me practice the waltz each time. I really couldn’t believe she hadn’t caved and told Leo about my secret. I felt kinda bad that I had her keep it from him, because honestly, out of all my brothers he was probably the safest to tell.

I put a classical song on by Johann Strauss, “Waves of Danube.” The music filled the room as I closed my eyes and sighed, fully grasping the mood of the music. Each note brought me closer to the fantasy I’d been dreaming up since I’d agreed to help April. The musictransported me into a world of bustling businessmen in smartly tailored suits, ladies dressed in their finest, sipping on champagne as they gossiped to one another. As the crowds parted, I saw the only thing that mattered to me.

April’s back was still turned; she was laughing at something a young man had whispered to her. She quickly dismissed him though once she spotted me crossing the room, her eyes danced merrily as I approached her. She reached out her hand and I grasped it, pulling her waist close to mine as I took the first step out onto the ballroom floor. Her beautiful auburn hair cascaded over her shoulders as she smiled up at me; our world spinning while we danced, ascending from cloud to cloud. She was a delicate flower,  _my_ delicate flower, and I held her tenderly to me as the world around us faded into nothing but shimmering lights and blurred figurines. 

If this could only last forever...

 

**Knock knock knock**

 

Her radiant features faded, and I was jolted from my fantasy by someone roughly rapping on my door. Momentarily irritated, I perked up realizing it was probably y/n. She normally didn’t knock so hard though.

“Coming, coming!” I rushed over and swung open the door, completely unprepared to see Raph’s hulking figure in the doorway.

I was momentarily stunned until I saw y/n sitting on his shoulders. She waved at me innocently, “Hey D!”

Raph muscled past me, bringing her over to one of my tables I frequently patched my brothers up on. His face contorted into a look of disgust as he noticed the music playing in the background, “What the heck are ya listenin’ to??”

I rolled my eyes, “It’s Johann Strauss. He’s kind of, ya know, an incredible composer, revered in the history of musical composers. No? Not ringing any bells?”

He grunted, “Yeah well he’s doin’ an incredible job of givin’ me a headache. Turn this junk off.”

“Listen, I don’t tell you to turn off your incoherent derogatory babel when I come into your space.”

Raph looked at me like I’d just spoken and alien language. “I have no idea what you just said.”

I huffed, annoyed, “Translation: If you don’t like it you can leave.”

I didn’t have the patience for him today, especially after having lost that stupid battle of Chubby Bunny. Y/n was at least kind enough to minimize our time wearing those ridiculous ears down to only a few hours, instead of the whole night.

I sighed, “Anyways, thanks for bringing her, I can take it from here.”

Shockingly, Raph shrugged and started settling in beside her, “I don’t mind waitin’.”

My patience was at its end, “What are you, her bodyguard or something? You’ll just get in the way.” I shoo’d him out none too graciously, and I could tell he was irritated at being told what to do, but frankly I didn’t care.

Raising his hands begrudgingly, he stormed out of the room muttering something incoherent.

Y/n looked at me apologetically, “Sorry about that D. I didn’t think you’d be this set up for your lesson when we got here.”

I shrugged, Raph was dense, he wouldn’t know something was going on if it hit him in the face.

“It’s ok. Now that the hulk is gone, let’s check your ankle out first. Have you been stretching it like I told you to?”

She nodded. I pulled and bent her foot different directions, seeing if any of them garnered a reaction out of her, but she, for the most part, seemed perfectly fine.

“Good! Everything seems to be mending well! Your gash is nearly healed, and you can start practicing your ballet again if you want. Just ease yourself into it the first couple of days ok?”

Relief washed across her face. I knew she’d been anxious to get back into the swing of things for her schooling. “Thanks Donnie, you really can’t imagine how grateful I am to you!”

I grinned back at her, I’m sure I actually do know. Without her, I’d be in a real pickle with April and these dance moves.

She hopped off the table, still slightly favoring her foot, but for the most part, able to walk steadily on it.

She looked at me excitedly, “To mark today’s special occasion of me getting a clean bill of health, I’ll partner with you for this dance lesson.”

My mouth went dry. This was it, what all my training had accumulated towards. I’d finally be able to dance hand in hand with her; to feel what it would actually be like to dance with April.

 

I got this.

 

I knew within my soul I was ready. This was my moment to shine, my moment to show y/n that all her teaching wasn’t in vain.

I led her to the middle of the room, determination set in my eyes. She smiled back at me confidently. My one hand wrapped around her waist, while the other took her hand.

 

_Just breathe Donnie._

The music had started, and the tempo was set. 

 

Ready.

And.

Begin.

 

* * *

 

**Leo’s POV**

After my talk with dad, I came back into the living room to see Raph grumpily sitting on the couch, half watching some cartoon on the tv. I didn’t pay too much attention to his attitude, he was after all, normally moody about something.

I came around and sat beside him. His only acknowledgement of my presence a single grunt as he eyed me from the side. We watched the weird cartoon together in silence for a few minutes before I spoke up, “So? How’d y/n’s checkup go?”

For whatever reason, the question made his temper flare up, “Oh gee, I dunno Leo!  Apparently , I’m only in the way when Donnie’s checking up on her.”

I was taken back by his sudden outburst, “What are you talking about?!”

“I said I wouldn’t mind waitin’, but Donnie practically pushed me outta the lab. Guess he needed some “alone” time with her.” Raph snarled sarcastically, emphasizing the word “alone” with his fingers.

I bit my lip. That uncomfortable feeling that nagged at the back of my brain was resurfacing to the forefront again. I swore I was over the weird secret y/n was harboring with Donnie, but now my worries came flooding back, and it brought reinforcements. I tried to calm myself.

_Nothing’s going on. There’s nothing to worry about._

My leg began to bounce nervously, betraying my actual feelings.

 

.......

 

_Maybe I should check up on them. Nothing wrong with that right? I’ll just poke my head in, make sure everything’s cool, and then I’ll leave. They won’t even notice me. It’s fine. I’m sure she’s fine._

 

I got up off the couch and started making my way to Donnie’s lab.

Raph called out to me, “Don’t bother, he locked the door behind me when he pushed me out.”

I tossed a wordless glance over my shoulder before continuing forward, afraid my face would betray my thoughts.

_He locked th- why the heck would he lock the door??_

Raph’s words made my attitude do a literal 180. She wasn’t fine. Something was definitely going on, and I was going to get to the bottom of it.

 

* * *

 

**Donnie’s POV**

 

I was a failure. A complete, and total, failure. 

I had practiced so much, but the actual thing felt so different with someone in front of me. I kept stepping on y/n’s toes, or starting with the wrong foot, or forgetting when to slide, or..... ugh, this was a mess. A cataclysmic disaster.

I sighed in irritation as I (for what felt like the 100th time) stepped on y/n’s foot.

She looked up at me sympathetically, clearly sensing I was getting more flustered as my mistakes started ramping up, “Donnie, it’s really ok. You’re actually doing a lot better than I did when I first learned how to waltz.”

I doubt that was true, but I appreciated her support.

“Do you want to take a break?” She asked, probably so I could salvage what little pride I had left.

I shook my head, “No. Let’s keep going.”

I wouldn’t let this beat me, I couldn’t! I’d learn this dance if it was the last thing I -

My heart stopped, noticing the figure about 15 paces behind y/n scowling in our direction. Of course, it had to be him, and of course, y/n and I had to be practically wrapped around each other.

From the look on his face I already knew he had the wrong idea about what was going on. He looked away and balled his hands into fists, his jaw working itself as it clenched and unclenched.

Y/n twisted around to see what I was looking at, her face paled when she spotted Leo.

“L-Leo!” She sputtered.

Leo looked back at us, his face clearly trying to tamp down the emotions he was feeling, “So, this is what you guys were hiding from me. I didn’t realize you two were involved like.... that.” After a minute, he bowed respectfully to us. I sighed. He’s making such an ass of himself right now.

“My apologies for interrupting your time together.” He turned on his heels and started to leave. Before I could even say anything, y/n hurled one of her shoes at his head. Bullseye.

I didn’t realize she had such a mean arm!

He whipped back around towards us, his hand covering the red welt forming on the back of his head.

“Would you stop overreacting to everything and get over here so we can explain what’s going on???” She huffed with indignation.

 

I smiled down at her, she really was just the thing Leo needed.

 

* * *

 

We quickly explained the situation to my brother. He eyed the both of us, taking in all that we had said. When he finally accepted the story, he asked me the most asinine thing, “Why didn’t you just ask me to help you?”

I shuddered, “Are you kidding me?! Dancing with you wouldn’t even come close to the same simulation of dancing with April as it does with y/n.” I added for good measure, “and besides, you’re my brother, that would just be weird.”

Leo sighed, clearly exasperated at the situation. I got it. I was touching the girl he had yet to admit to himself that he liked. I’d probably react the similarly if I found Casey and April in the same scenario.

“Leo, are you saying you know how to waltz?!” Y/n asked, her head tilting curiously.

He nodded. “Among other dances, yes.”

“H-how?? Who taught you?!”

“Master Splinter taught me when I was younger.”

Both y/n and I put our hands over our mouths, sputtering trying to hold back our laughter at the thought of Leo hand in hand with my sensei.

Leo glared at us as he folded his arms across his chest, his cheeks turning a soft shade of pink.

I couldn’t not ask, now that this was all out in the open, “Are you any good?”

He huffed at me, “As a matter of fact yes, I am.”

I was skeptical, he could just be trying to save face in front of y/n at this point. I suddenly had an evil, albeit brilliant plan. “Oh yeah? Well, I seem to be having a hard time grasping the concept, so why don’t you show me?”

I could see the color drain from his face, “S-show you??”

“Yes, show me. Y/n, would you be so kind as to demonstrate with Leo for me? Maybe watching you two will help me understand it better.”

Both Leo and y/n were now blushing, they awkwardly looked away from each other, maybe figuring one of them would insist on not dancing with the other, but the objection never came.

I rummaged around in my music collection until I landed on something fitting for the situation. Yes! It was perfect! I smiled at them, “This song will do! ‘Falling in Love with You’, by Elvis. It’s a classic!” If they were red before, their faces were practically on fire now. I was evil, but I didn’t care. These two desperately needed a push in the right direction.

 

Leo could thank me later.

 

**Your POV**

Neither of you could look each other in the eye. Your body tensed momentarily as you felt him wrap his big hand around your waist, his other trailing softly down your arm before grasping your right hand. These were the same hands that had teased and tickled you just an hour ago, and yet, this situation felt entirely different. It wasn’t flirtatious, or teasing, or playful, it was... oddly intimate. Still looking at his chest, you placed your left hand on his shoulder, gulping back the thick saliva that had formed in your mouth.

 

Donnie was going to pay for this.

 

You finally gathered the courage to look up, relieved to see Leo was just as embarrassed as you were. He glanced down at you briefly before looking away again, “S-sorry...”

“About what?”

“This.” He nodded between the two of you.

“I... don’t mind.” You smiled shyly up at him. He looked down at you slightly surprised, his cheeks turning even more red. You quickly added, “I- I mean, it’s for Donnie after all.”

“R-right! For Donnie.” Leo’s face fell briefly, “Of course.”

“Of course!” You agreed back, (probably too eagerly) as if to convince yourself that was the only reason.

“Y-yeah!” Leo laughed nervously.

After another minute he cleared his throat.

 

This was getting awkward.

 

You bit the inside of your cheek,  for crying out loud Donnie just play the freaking music already!  Another moment ticked by before you heard the faint call, “You guys ready?”

“YES!!” You both shouted in unison.

The music started, and Leo immediately pulled you into his pace, stepping gracefully like he’d danced this dance a million times before. He twirled you in and out of his arms with ease, his movements clearly surpassing the beginner level you were trying to teach Donnie. He left you breathless as his hands slipped along your waist, hugging you close to him before unraveling you outwards again. For a second, you lost yourself in the wonder of the moment. He was looking down at you like you were the center of his world, causing your heart to race uncontrollably. Had he always looked at you like that?

You were floating on air, the two of you spun around the room like a prince and princess in their first dance of the night. The song played melodically in the background, dreamily sweeping you into its soft world of romance. You couldn’t say you were a huge fan of the song itself, but it’s lyrics rang true. You really must have been a fool for falling in love with him. This ninja. This leader. This ...mutant.

As the music drew to an end, he slowly bent you back into a low dip, holding you there for a minute before pulling you back up. Your hands looped around his neck, breathless, you gazed at him from beneath your heavy lids, trying to savor the moment of losing yourself in his endlessly blue sapphire eyes. Your fingers intertwined with his bandana tails as you held his gaze.

“That was... really good actually..”

He smirked at you, “Don’t sound so surprised.”

You shook your head, “I just don’t understand, why would Splinter teach you dance?”

“Sword fighting and dancing were seen as similar links. Practicing and understanding one helps you improve your technical skills in the other.” 

It made sense now why he looked so gracefully when he fought.

“Do you still practice dancing?”

“With dad?! No way! Dancing with him would be so awkward now!” He laughed bashfully. His eyes looked down sadly as he sighed, “It’s kinda too bad though, I felt like I fought better when I was practicing.”

 

A thought crossed your mind.

 

_I could..._

_No, he’d never go for it._

_It’s a stupid idea._

_But..._

_maybe..._

 

You fidgeted as you wrestled with your thoughts.

 

_It wouldn’t hurt to ask right?_

“Oh, well... would you want to practice with me?” You asked nervously.

Leos eyes widened in shock, the pause in his response immediately making you backpedal your statement, “I-I mean, you don’t have to!! I’m only offering to help you for your training!!” You flushed, “N-Nevermind, it was a weird suggestion anyways-”

 

“I’d like that..”

 

You looked back at him, his answer almost a whisper. Stammering in disbelief, you asked just to be sure you heard him right, “W-What?”

He looked away briefly, blushing slightly before turning back to you, “I said, I’d like that...” he held you a little closer as he looked deeply into your eyes.

You couldn’t breath.

His gaze caused the air in your lungs to seize up and your thoughts to become like static. Your body buzzed with excitement as electricity shot to the ends of your fingertips.

You barely registered the small cough coming from the sidelines of the lab.

*ahem* “I’m still here you guys.” Donnie quipped.

You blushed and tried pulling yourself away, but Leo held you fast against him. Surprised, you looked up questioningly, “Leo?”

“Mm? ...oh! Sorry...” he mumbled, reluctantly letting go.

Donnie cleared his throat again, looking between the two of you, “ANYwaaaays, Leo, i just told y/n she can start her ballet practice again. Why don’t you take her back to her place to pick up her stuff?”

“Oh! Yeah...” He scratched the back of his head, “If that’s ok with you of course.”

You nodded, maybe a little too excitedly, “yes!! I’d love for you to come over!”

Leo beamed at you, “Great! I mean, cool! I mean...” He blushed, “Y-yeah! Um.. how about tomorrow?”

You laughed, “Sounds good to me! Thanks Leo, I really appreciate it!”

He gave you a huge grin, clearly excited to finally see your place.

“Yeah Yeah, that’s l great. Everyone’s happy. Now, if you’re quite done, I’d like to get back to my lessons with her.” Donnie began pushing Leo towards the exit. Leo waved goofily at you, his big grin still plastered to his face.

You giggled watching them disappear around the corner before you heard Donnie suddenly shout, “You broke my door!!!”

“I didn’t break your door.... just the lock.”

“You owe me a new lock.”

“Well don’t act so shifty and I won’t break your lock next time.”

“Get out!”

Donnie came back to you, huffing in irritation. You eyed him pointedly, a sly smile spreading across your face, “you’re a surprisingly mischievous little thing aren’t you?”

He grinned back at you unapologetically, “Your welcome.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys are enjoying the story so far! Lemme know your thoughts! ^_^


	17. Under the Covers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A change in sleeping arrangements <3

-A few hours later-

 

It was late. Dragging yourself back to Leo’s bedroom, you flop down face first onto his bed, exhausted from your lessons. 

_Finally... sleep!!_

You sighed, by the end of the evening, Donnie had gotten better, but he still had a ways to go. At least your toes weren’t being stomped on as much.

Burying your face into the sheets, the faint aroma of lemongrass and tea tickled your nose. You inhaled a little deeper. It smelled like him. You buried your nose and sniffed again, grinning as you wrapped yourself in his scent. You froze, suddenly realizing you were sniffing Leo’s sheets like some old pervert.  _Wow, well this isn’t creepy at all..._

You looked around frantically, with your recent luck he was probably standing right behind you. The room was silent though. Placing your hand on your chest you sighed with relief.

Where was he anyways? He should have been back by now. Shrugging, you decided to take the opportunity to put on your pajamas. Your favorite pair was being washed, so tonight you were forced to go with a more relaxed sleeping attire. You pulled on a pair of short pajama bottoms and a white, long sleeve boyfriend shirt that hung off one shoulder.

Shuffling your feet a little on the cold cement floor, you looked towards the door longingly before sitting down on the bed, “.... hope he comes back soon....”

 

** Leo’s POV **

**drip**

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**drip**

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**drip**

The dojo was quiet. The hustle and bustle I was accustomed to hearing from my brothers, was now tucked away in bed. Even from here I could hear the faint echo of their distant snores.

**drip**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**drip**

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**.**

**drip**

Eyes closed, my world was black. The sound of water dripping from the pipes my only source of rhythmic focus. I tried to empty myself of distractions, something I could have easily done in the past, but not tonight. Not when I knew y/n and Donnie were still alone, practicing together.

**drip**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**drip**

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**.**

**.**

**drip**

Yes, I knew for sure nothing was going on between the two of them, but still, it bothered me. I’m not even sure why it bothered me. I knew Donnie was in love with April. We all knew  Donnie was in love with April.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**drip**

**.**

**.**

**.**

Maybe the root of my anxiousness stemmed not from her being  with Donnie, but because she wasn’t here with me. I cringed thinking about how stupid I must have looked, bowing down in front of the them when I completely mistook their relationship. Ugh, I could just die of embarrassment.

**Drip**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Drip**

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**.**

**.**

**Dri-** _ * shiiiing * _

My sword sliced through the air, silencing the irritating trickle of water. Meditation wasn’t helping at all.... I grit my teeth for the umpteenth time.

“Bah! They’ve gotta be done by now!” 

Getting up, I started heading back towards the lab. Even if they weren’t done I was going to drag her away. Maybe they didn’t realize how late it was, but she needed to get some sleep. Just because Donnie made some stupid promise that he couldn’t fulfill on his own, didn’t mean that he had to drag her into-

I stopped in mid march.

_Ugh! I’m doing it again! I’m fretting over her like some freaking.... mothering hen! No, not a mother hen... what’d she say to Raph?_

My shoulders drooped, “A big brother, huh?”

I wasn’t sure why the title didn’t sit well with me. After all, I DID tell her to consider us like family...

but...

As my mind struggled, I glanced down at my massive hands that’d held her small frame so close to mine. I grinned, recalling her excitement after I agreed to resume my dance training with her. Admittedly, I was pretty excited to start our lessons as well.

Closing my hands I shook my head -  _not that I’m excited to dance with her specifically. I’m obviously just keen on honing my swordsmanship skills once again._

Of course. That had to be the reason for why I felt these butterflies in my stomach. Fighting my internal instinct to retrieve her, I decided to head back to my room.

Placing my hand on the door I murmured to no one but myself, “It’ll be lonely going to sleep without her though. Maybe I’ll just wait up till she comes back...”

_No, that’ll just make me look obsessive._

I sighed and begrudgingly pushed my door open. My eyes winced, the room was brighter than it should have been, “I don’t remember leaving the light on..”

“Leo!”

Startled, I looked towards the bed and saw y/n smiling back at me. My gut clenched, I wasn’t prepared to see her body illuminated by the warm glow of the lamp, or the soft shadows that played across her exposed skin. Her legs were laid bare, teasing any and all who looked at them with the swell of her beautifully sculpted calves. My breath caught momentarily, her shirt was so long that, had I not seen the small trace of fabric beneath it, I would have thought her half naked.

I hated myself for the perverted nature my thoughts turned towards. It was only natural though, right? Seeing a woman half exposed like that would make any man think... I balled my hands tightly into fists. Yeah, any man  _would_   think, but not me. It was my job to protect her, not ogle her. I chased these thoughts from my mind, irritated I even entertained them to begin with. 

 

** Your POV **

Your eyes lit up upon seeing Leo enter the room. Springing up from the bed, you smiled and started walking towards him. Noticing his sudden aloofness though, you slowed your pace. 

Still standing in the entryway, Leo averted his eyes and muttered, “S-sorry, I should have knocked..”

“Knocked?” You looked at him suspiciously, why was he being so formal? You stopped a few feet away from him, “What’s wrong? You’re acting weird.”

He whipped back towards you and bristled, “N-Nothing’s wrong!! And I’m not acting weird!!” Having said that though, he couldn’t keep his eyes on you for long before his face started to flush again, causing him to look away.

“Ah! See?! You are! You’re being all fidgety n’ stuff!” You pointed an accusatory finger at him.

He grumbled and scratched the back of his neck, still looking in the opposite direction, “Your shirt..”

“My shirt?” You tilted your head in confusion and looked down. You didn’t see anything abnormal about it, other than it’s length, it was just like any other shirt. Maybe it was a little risqué hanging off your shoulder the way it did, but it wasn’t cause enough for him to react like this.

Huffing, Leo briskly walked over to you and tugged the bottom of your shirt up to expose more of your shorts.

“Hey!” You exclaimed in surprise.

He roughly gathered and tied the loose fabric into a knot at your side to keep it from falling back down.

“Seriously?!” You looked up at him, slightly annoyed.

“Yes, seriously! It’s too long! I could barely tell you had any shorts on! So... keep it like this.” He hoped you wouldn’t notice how flustered he was, “I _AM_ a guy too, ya know...”

You looked down bashfully, and played with your hem, “O-oh, sorry... I didn’t think about that.”

He wasn’t sure how to react, was it because you didn’t see him as a man? Or because you only saw him as a brother figure? Leo sighed dejectedly, neither was a favorable option.

“It’s ok, but don’t walk around the lair like this.”

You looked up questioningly at him.

“I don’t want the others to see you in these.” He muttered back.

“But.. you’ve seen me...”

He glanced at you, “Yeah well, I’m responsible and have some self restraint.”

You laughed and rolled your eyes, “Self restraint?! You make it sound like the guys are going to jump me!”

“They might!” He huffed, “Parading around carelessly like that...”

“Oh, please!” Grinning, you walked a little closer to him, “So, you’re saying you don’t want your brothers to see me, because they wouldn’t be able to resist me dressed like this... But you can handle being around me because I don’t entice you at all, is that it?” You playfully trailed your fingers down his chest.

His face wasn’t amused. He caught your wandering hand by the wrist and pulled you flush against him. His hand slipped around your waist before his large fingers softly clasped your chin, nudging you to look up at him.

 

“That’s not what I said.”

 

For a split second, your heart stopped and the air in your lungs froze.  _W-what?_

 

But before you could even respond, he let go and stepped back.

“Alright little troublemaker, get some sleep. It’s late and you’ve gotta be exhausted.”

You blinked,  _W-wait!! You can’t casually say something like that and then just... walk away!!_ You tried to protest, but the words wouldn’t budge from your mouth. Instead, you nodded dumbly, watching as he made his way back towards his hammock. 

You grumbled, fidgeting uncomfortably with your own emotions,  _Ugh! Why does he always make me feel like- eh?_

You hadn’t noticed earlier, but Leo’s body movement seemed uncharacteristically tense. Massaging his shoulder tenderly, he rotated his arm, wincing as he brought it back down.

His muscles must have been stiff. You eyed the hammock,  _Of course he’s stiff, who wouldn’t be sleeping in that thing!?_ You felt a pang of guilt for having taken up the bed for as long as you had.  _Dangit, he shoulda said something! We could have at least taken turns!_ You knew he was too much of a gentleman though to allow you to sleep in the hammock. Your brow furrowed, this couldn’t continue if you were going to stay!  _First things first though..._

Marching over to him, you grabbed his hand and started pulling him towards the bed. He flinched, “Hey! W-What’re you doing?!”

“Just sit.” You tugged him down onto the mattress and climbed around behind him. His posture was rigid, and he twisted his head around to see what you were up to, but you forced him to look forward again. His fingers thrummed against his thigh, nervously waiting for what you were going to do next. He stiffened slightly when he felt your fingers slide down along his neck before settling comfortably on his tense shoulders.

“Leo...”

“Y-y-yea” His voice came out froggy. He cleared his throat, “*cough* Yes?”

“Relax.”

He gulped. Your fingers began kneading the tight chords of bunched muscle in his shoulders. Pushing and sliding your hands along his rough leathery skin, you searched for the knots that would bring him relief.

Leo groaned, shocked at the strength of your hands as you worked him over. Rolling his head forward he sighed with pleasure, sucking in a painful breath every now and then when you hit a particularly nasty knot. You bit your lip, holding back a smile, “Does that feel good?”

“Yeah...” Leo whispered, his eyes closed as he relished the magical works of your fingers. “How did you kn-“

You shushed him, “Sshhh... Just enjoy it.” 

After a while, his shoulders began to slouch, and you could feel him gradually relaxing into you. It was now or never while his guard was down...

Still rubbing his shoulders, you shifted closer to him and cooed into his ear, “Leo?”

“Mmm?”

“Would it be fair to say that we’re pretty comfortable with each other now?”

“Mhmm...” he smiled, his eyes still closed in bliss.

“Comfortable enough to do things that maybe we wouldn’t do with just anyone, right?”

Leo’s eyebrow twitched slightly, wondering where you were going with this, he answered a little more hesitantly, “....mhm..?”

“Then....” you paused.

“.....Mm?” He peeked back at you lazily, drunk off the pleasant feeling of your massage.

“Would you please.... sleep with me...?”

Fully alert now, Leo’s eyes shot wide open as he sprang up off the bed.

“W-w-what?? No! W-We can’t!! I mean...” his eyes flitted around the room, looking everywhere and anywhere.

You put your hands on your hips in annoyance, “Why not?? You said so yourself that we’re comfortable with each other now!”

He fidgeted nervously with this thumbs, “Y-yeah but... but that’s just not something you do before...I mean, we... we haven’t even...”

You knew he was going to be stubborn about this sleeping arrangement. You tried reasoning with him, “Leo listen to me, your shoulders are as stiff as boards from sleeping on that darn hammock. I could give you a massage every night, but honestly, it’s just going to get worse before it gets better. I promise I’ll stay on my side of the bed, you won’t even know I’m there!”

Leo held his head in his hands as he mumbled to himself, “I-I mean this is so sudden and... I didn’t even know you fel-” he stopped, the lights flickering on in his brain, “O...oh. Sleep with you as in... sleep _with_ you ...”

You threw your hands in the air,  _what?! Am I speaking a different language here?!_ “Yeah! Sleep with me! That’s what I said!”

You froze, suddenly aware of his possible misinterpretation. You quickly pulled the bedsheets closer to your body, “I-I didn’t mean!!!! Wait, what did you think I meant??”

He waved his hands frantically back and forth, “What?! No!! I...!!! I thought you meant, w-what you.... meant!”

His nervous laughter came out forced as he tried to play off his blatant misunderstanding, “Pssshh, pfffft, I meeean! What else could you possibly mean right?! Hahahaha!  _Duh!_ Wh-what did you even think I thought you meant??”

Hesitantly, you laughed awkwardly with him. Relaxing your hold on the sheets you stammered, “R-Right?! And, of course, I obviously was thinking that you thought I meant.... what I meant!”

“Well good... cuz... I.... was thinking the same thing.”

“What?”

“The meaning that you meant...?” he finished lamely.

 

This was getting confusing.

 

“J-Just get in the bed!!!” You threw back the covers.

Leo hesitated, looking between you and the bed. “No!”

“So help me, if you don’t get in this bed right now, I’m going to sleep in Mikey’s room. And we both know how he loooooves to cuddle.” You threatened him.

When he still hesitated, you got up, “Fine! I’ll be over in the other room spooning with your little brother then.” You glared at him, “And in case you were wondering, _**NO**_ , I _won't_ be  changing my clothes.” With that, you began marching towards the door. Panicking, Leo caught you by the arm as you passed by, 

“WAIT!! ... Wait...”

You looked at him, the fire of determination burned clearly in your eyes. He fidgeted under your stare, weighing the balance of things before finally conceding defeat, “Fine! I’ll do it.”

You smiled triumphantly, “Shoulda just saved us both the hassle and agreed in the first place.” You flicked his forehead, “dork!”

“Owe!” He rubbed his temple, watching as you hopped into bed. Your rear swayed tantalizingly back and forth in front of him as you crawled across the mattress. He smooshed his hands down his face and groaned. You glanced back at him, misinterpreting his angst, “Oh stop your moaning already. I promise you’ll thank me later.”

He looked up at the ceiling, distress clearly written across his face.  _What have I gotten myself into??_

Snuggling yourself into the covers, you looked over at Leo expectantly and patted the area next to you, inviting him in.

He came a little closer, still hesitant to crawl in with you. “Aren’t you afraid of sleeping with a mutant?”

You answered him without hesitation, “No. And stop calling yourself that. To me, you’re just Leo.” Against all odds, he smiled softly down at you. Placing his equipment and weapons to the side of the bed, he carefully got in beside you. His body hugged the edge of the bed so tight, you thought for sure he was going to fall off.

“Does it bother you that much to sleep beside me?” You asked.

“It’s not that! I... I’m just afraid of hurting you.” He balled himself up tightly, “Like... What if I roll over in the middle of the night and squish you???”

You could feel him shudder at the thought. You had to stifle a giggle, he really did overthink things.

“Leo, turn this way.”

He shifted his body around to face you. Beckoning him to come closer, you finally got him within arms reach. You turned away from him and shuffled closer till your back was against his hard body. Taking his hand, you wrapped his arm around you and snuggled in against him.

“There, now you can’t roll over on me.”

He gulped. This was... too close for him. “Why are you doing this?”

You hesitated, not wanting to give away too much of how you felt. He was still, after all, into Karai. And you... you were just... the “other” girl. You tried to keep the loneliness from entering your voice as you replied, “Because, you’re special to me.”

Leo blushed and pulled you closer, his lips nestled into your hair, “Hey... y/n?”

“Mm?”

“I wanna take you someplace.”

“Someplace?” You closed your eyes and murmured.

“Yeah, it’s... personal to me... but, I feel like I wanna show you.”

You smiled and intertwined your arms with his, appreciating the intoxicating scent of him next to you, “I’d love to go.” You yawn, tired from the emotional rollercoaster of the last hour.

Leo grinned broadly against you, “Really?! Ok then! It’s a da-“

He stops mid sentence.  _Date?_

He hesitates, “-deal. It’s a deal.”

“Mm” you agree sleepily with him, not noticing his slight slip up.

He idly stroked your soft skin, listening to your even breathing. His own eyes began to feel heavy. He smiled, you were right, the bed did feel better, but for more reasons than one.

 

_Mm... we forgot to turn off the light..._

 

The thought flitted across his mind briefly before he let sleep take him.

 

* * *

 

— 3:16 am —

Leo was jolted from his slumber. His eyes blink a couple of times, trying to register his surroundings. What was it that woke him? He felt you stir slightly.

Looking down at you, he smiled at your small silhouette snuggled tightly against him. He noticed a lock of hair had fallen across your face. Using his free hand, he gently tucked it away behind your ear. His fingers lingered for a moment before they softly began to trace a line across your cheekbone, down to your jawline. You groaned and squirmed against his touch. His hand froze. Had he disturbed you?! Holding his breath, he waited for you to settle back down.

You sighed. It was a long, sad, yet lovely sigh. Leo looked at you worriedly, concerned you might be having a bad dream. Maybe he should wake you-

“Leo..” you mumbled. The blood in his veins turned to ice. Were you... dreaming about him?

You suddenly flipped in his arms, the supple swell of your body snuggled tight against him as your hands found their way to his chest. You sighed again, your legs shifted and entwined with his. Burying your nose to his chest your face eased into a calm expression. A small smile tugged at the corner of your lips, the familiar fragrance of him appeasing whatever was worrying your mind.

Leo wasn’t sure anymore... was this a good dream or a bad dream? You groaned and shifted against him again, your body temperature slowly rising as you whimpered, “Leo... more...”

Leo blushed furiously, what exactly was he doing to you in this dream??? To both his relief and disappointment, those were the last word you uttered, your body lulling back into a peaceful slumber.

His hands came to rest on the small of your back, stroking it gently as he tried to calm his own rapid heart rate. You were... dreaming about him...

Your previous words resounded in his mind, _“_ _Because, you’re special to me...”_

His heart squeezed unbearably tight, and he found his lips kissing the top of your head on their own accord. He lingered there,  _just a little longer..._

 

He wished time could stop. In this moment, with you safe in his arms, he wished...

 

He murmured against your hair, his voice just barely above a whisper, “You’re... special to me too, ya know.”

Something was changing in him. He wasn’t sure what, but he knew you were the cause of it.

 

He smiled, “You make me feel....”

 

The words he spoke to you, were lost in the night. The walls now the only gatekeepers of his secret confession.

 

* * *

 

The next morning you woke up to the sound of the shower running. You rubbed your eyes sleepily.

_Guess he didn’t squish me after all._

You grinned at the memory of his warmth enveloping you as you fell into one of the best sleeps you’ve had in a really long time. You wrapped your arms around yourself and squeed, kicking your feet against the mattress like some sugar high kid.

_Best. Night. Eveeeeeeer!!!_

You stopped, realizing how ridiculous you must look. “Ah! What am I doing?! I gotta get up!” You hadn’t notice the shower had stopped until Leo came strutting out from behind the wall mat in nothing but a towel.

Your breath caught, he was like a masterpiece chiseled from marble. His pecs and heavily defined abs were enhanced by the slight gleam of his still damp skin. A small droplet of water dripped from his chin and cascaded down his chest. It laughed at you as it dipped and disappeared below his loosely fitted towel that he’d draped haphazardly around his waist. And if that wasn’t enough to send your ovaries into overdrive, you could see the beginnings of his platelets forming into a V, hinting at what was just beneath the fabric. He looked fresh and awake, while a cheeky grin played at the corner of his mouth. 

Maybe he felt your stare, because he suddenly glanced over at you. His eyes shot open in surprise, “Oh! You’re awake!”

Your face flushed, but he just smiled back at you like nothing was wrong, “Good morning! Did you sleep ok-“ the look on your face must have told him something was up. “Hey... What’s wrong?!” Concerned, he started walking towards you.

You backpedalled as far as you could from his advancing figure until your back hit the wall. He stopped, confused as to why you were trying to get away from him.

“Y/n?”

“Wh!!! Whuh-Wh!!!” You couldn’t take your eyes off him, let alone say the words.

Still holding his towel around his midriff, Leo looked at you curiously. “Whuh?

Finally you covered your eyes, “W-W-WUH-WHY ARE YOU NAKED?!!?!!!?! Where are your clothes??????”

Finally realizing what you were so flustered about, Leo smirked, “What’s wrong? I have a towel on. See?”

You peeked between your fingers, just in time to see him let his towel fall to the floor.

You shrieked, “AAAAHHHH!! P-p-put it back on!!!!!!”

_You weren’t ready for this!! Well... you were, but you weren’t!_

You heard him chuckling, causing your temper to flare up, “What are you laughing at!!?”

He laughed, “Idk what you’re being so shy about, I’m completely decent.”

You huffed, “You most certainly are not!” 

“I promise you I am! Look for yourself!”

You sat there for a few more seconds before you slowly took your hands away from your eyes. He stood in front of you, tall and proud.

But....

He was right.... you didn’t see his private’s at all.

He smirked, quirking an eyebrow at you teasingly, “disappointed?”

You flushed, “ **NO!** I’m just confused is all...”

He laughed again, “Well, unlike you humans, turtles-“

You threw a pillow at his face, “I don’t wanna know about your turtle anatomy!!! Just go get some clothes on for crying out loud!!!!”

His lips curved up into a mischievous grin, “Alright Alright! If putting clothes on will save your poor mind from being in the gutter, then I will.”

You were trembling with indignation, primed and ready to throw another pillow at him.

“That’s not!!! I wasn’t- Hey!!!!”

But he’d already walked away from you, whistling as he went. You flopped your face down, burying it into the pillow as you tossed the sheets up and hid yourself under the duvet cover.

You groaned.

 

_Well... this day is off to a great start._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my stars ⭐️ I didn’t realize almost a month had gone by 😅 sorry for the late update, I actually have like 4 chapters in the works, so hang on to your hats!!


	18. New Feelings

You knew you couldn’t stay hidden beneath the sheets forever...

Poking your head out, you made sure Leo was looking the opposite direction before attempting to extract yourself from the shelter of the duvet. Sneaking over to the tossed pillow on the floor, you picked it up and held it tightly to your chest. As much as you tried not to relive the memory, the image of his steamy, well sculpted body still danced through your mind.

Casting a quick glance over your shoulder, your eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Leo in mid bend, picking up a pair of his shorts. Having casually tossed his towel over his shoulder, he’d unintentionally given you a full, unobstructed view of the tight chords of muscle that wrapped up around his thighs and sculpted his firm rear. You caught yourself staring, despite the fact that nothing indecent was technically showing. The startling (albeit welcomed) view sent a flash of heat rippling across your face. His body straightened and his face began to turn towards you.

Your hands fumbled their hold on the pillow, and you clumsily tried to keep it from falling back down onto the floor. Frantically, you turned and grabbed the corner of the sheets in an attempt to “busy” yourself with making the bed. The rapid beating of your heart felt like a hammer trying to make a hole through your chest.

_I didn’t see anything, I didn’t see anything, I didn’t see anything._

Despite your inner monologue, your mind clung to, what you were sure was, a glimpse of a tiny tail poking out from beneath his shell. It’s size almost comically small in comparison to the rest of his hulking figure. Your hands slowed in their straightening of the sheets, as a faint smile tickled the edge of your mouth.

 _It was... kinda cute_...

You shook your head back and forth, snapping yourself out of your thoughts.

_Gah! Don’t think about it! Ok, be calm, be cool. Just breath and act natural. Should be easy enough, right?_

 

* * *

 

**Leo’s POV**

Drying myself off a little more, I whistled a small tune, excited to have woken up with a complete sense of renewal. The day looked brighter, the colors in my room more vibrant and, despite the fact that we lived in the sewers, the air even smelled fresher.

As much as I wanted to claim that this new outlook was due to a good nights sleep, I wasn’t so sure I could attribute _all_ of it to that reason alone.

I glanced over at Y/n who was making the bed. Biting my lower lip, I tried not to smile too obviously as I watched her scuttle back and forth, straightening the sheets almost frantically.

I could still feel her small body curled up next to mine, fitting against me like she was made to be there. Not to mention, her face just now when she thought I’d come out practically naked.

“ _Pffft!_ ” I hid my laughter behind my hand.

Still chuckling silently, I pulled my shorts up over my hips, going about my usual routine in front of the mirror. Splinter had always taught us to accept and appreciate our unique appearance to that of humans. However, this morning as I stared at my own reflection I felt like, maybe for the first time ever, I was actually seeing myself, and not just the mutant that was staring back at me.

_And..._

I took another sidelong glance at her.

. _..I feel like there’s finally someone else who sees me for who I am as well_.

A warmth spread lazily across my chest with this new revelation. Maybe it was because of this that I found myself analyze my appearance more critically this morning.

_Are these shorts ok? Maybe I should wear my other ones instead..._

It’s not like I had a lot of options. And by “not a lot of options” I mean I had exactly two to choose from. My everyday shorts, and a pair that I kept for special occasions. I distinctly remember not caring much for the one pair, but it’d been so long since I’d worn them that I couldn’t remember why.

Would it be weird to wear those? I mean... I _was_ going to her dorm room today, and it might be good to wear something nicer to her place instead of my usual junky ones.

I tossed the idea around in my brain like it was some sort of life altering decision. I’d never really considered what I wore before, so I wasn’t sure why it seemed to matter so much to me now. Gazing a little longer in the mirror, my eyes flicked back to the nicer pair again. I shook my head, irritated at my own indecision.

 

_Ah heck, just go for it!_

 

Mind made up, I slipped them on. As to be expected, they fit the way most clothes do when someone doesn’t wear them frequently enough. The fabric, thoughslightly stiff, wasn’t necessarily uncomfortable. It just wasn’t the soft, well worn material I was used to feeling against my skin.

But... I mean, they looked good, so....

I wondered why I didn’t wear them more often.

Shrugging, I reached down to clasp the two flaps together, and it suddenly dawned on me. Unlike my normal ones, which had a zipper, these had buttons going all the way up. I groaned as my large beefy fingers fumbled around, trying to smoosh the small awkward discs through their respective holes.

 

_C’mooon,_

_...get_

_...in_

_...there!_

 

I grumbled in frustration as they repeatedly slipped from my grasp. After several attempts, my shoulders slumped in defeat.

_...w-whatever!! It was a stupid idea anyways. I’ll just change back into my old ones._

The thought had no sooner crossed my mind when y/n’s voice piped up behind me.

“Leo?”

“ **AH**!!!” Startled, I jumped slightly.

She giggled, “Sorry! I was just gonna ask if you were almost done?”

My hands fumbled forward clumsily as I tried to cover the obvious gape in my shorts.

“Oh! Y-yeah, almost finished, I’ll-I’ll be there in a sec.”

She looked down and smiled, “Hey! Are those new?”

Feeling a little shy that she actually noticed, I scratched the back of my head, “I guess they sorta are...”

I couldn’t help but fidget hopefully. Holding my breath, I waited for some sort of confirmation that she approved of my attire. But all I got was a brief head nod.

“Do you just need to button them up then?”

Slightly deflated at her lack of response, I gave a somewhat noncommittal “Yeah”.

“Aight, well hurry it up!”

When it looked like she wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon, I turned my attention again towards the mirror, fiddling with the buttons in question.

I glanced back at her nervously, “Are... are you just going to stand there and watch??”

“Maybe. Why? Is there a problem with me being here?”

I turned away from her quickly and stammered, “No!! No problem!” I fiddled a little bit more with one of the buttons, wishing it would somehow magically just pop into place.

The more I tried to delay the inevitable though, the more I could feel her eyeing me suspiciously. When she finally spoke, I was sure I could hear the beginnings of a grin in her voice, “Are you... having some technical difficulties?”

“N-no!” I denied it immediately.

I felt her glance down at the placement of my hands, and my internal voice groaned, knowing I was caught. _Kill me now_.

I sighed, “...Ok... maybe just a little.”

She conspicuously ran her hand over her mouth, trying to hide the laughter that threatened to escape her lips at my expense.

Clearing her throat, she came around and stood in front of me, “Here, let me help.”

I shot her a look before begrudgingly letting my hands fall away. She moved a little closer, and the sweet aroma of her shampoo tickled my nose, making me all the more aware of her proximity. I tried focusing my attention on the brick wall, hoping it would distract me as I clamped and unclamped my hands nervously. Her fingers slipped behind the fabric of my shorts, and my breath caught at the sensation of her skin brushing against my lower plastron.

“Sorry.” She mumbled. “Cold fingers.”

I didn’t want to correct her, “No, it’s... it’s fine.”

Though the contact lasted only a moment, I could still feel the heat rising in my cheeks and was grateful that her focus was nowhere near my face.

I briefly glanced down, noting the cute way her tongue poked out to the side as she furrowed her brow in concentration. She tugged the two flaps closer together and easily slipped the buttons into their designated slots. Finished with her task, she brushed her hands down my legs, smoothing out the fabric before stepping back to appraise her handiwork.

Placing her hands on her hips, she grinned in satisfaction, “There you go!”

Still unable to fully look at her, I mumbled a soft, “T-thank you..”

Nodding, she turned and started walking towards the door. Stopping at the entrance, she glanced back at me.

“Hey, um.... You look really good in those btw...”

She’d said it so nonchalantly that I almost missed the compliment entirely. I looked at her in surprise, catching the faint tint of red that colored her cheeks.

Noticing my gaze, her eyes widened with a look of panic, “N-not to say that you don’t look good normally!

.

.

.

“ _I-I mean...!!! Not that I’ve been looking or anything!!_ ”

.

.

.

“ ** _Ah_** _! What I mean to say is...!!!_ ”

She clamped a hand over her mouth. I watched as her face increased in color until even her ears looked like they could catch fire.

“N-nevermind!! Forget I said anything. I’ll just-“ She motioned towards the door, “I’ll just see you out there!” She managed to squeak out before rushing out of the room.

I stood there in dumb silence, staring at the empty doorway as her words echoed in my mind like a broken record.

A goofy grin slowly began to make its way across my face, and I allowed a sigh to tumble from my lips.

 

_She thinks I look good..._

 

A moment passed before I shook my head. _What am I thinking??_ “C’mon Leo, don’t get the wrong idea. It was just a friendly compliment.”

There was nothing more behind her words, I was sure of it. Otherwise she wouldn’t have tried so hard to correct the possible misunderstanding.

Regardless...

I straightened my shoulders, still allowing the praise to boost my confidence as a grin returned to my face. There was literally nothing that was going to ruin my mood today.

 

* * *

 

You’d rushed into the kitchen and poured yourself a bowl of cereal. Munching silently you tried to cool the burning heat consuming your face. Your parting flop of a compliment replayed in your head like a bad accident you couldn’t tear your eyes away from.

Faceplanting your forehead onto the table, your shoulders drooped and you let out a muffled groan, “Uuugghh! What is _wrong_ with me?? Why couldn’t I have just left it at ‘those look good on you’??? I just _had_ to keep talking, didn’t I?”

 _Stupid. Stupid. Stupid_. A dull thud resonated rhythmically throughout the kitchen as you thumped your head against the table with each word.

Someone cleared their throat, “My apologies, am I interrupting something?”

Your head shot up in surprise, “Oh! Master Splinter!” Rubbing the red spot that had developed on your forehead, you cast him an awkward smile, “Sorry, just... ya know... talking to myself.”

“Mmm.” He stroked his beard thoughtfully as he slowly shuffled over to you. Pulling out a chair, he plopped himself down with a grunt. “Would you care to elaborate? Or is this a private conversation?”

You smiled at him appreciatively, “Thanks but, I think I’m ok. I’d rather suffer in silence on this one.”

He smiled back at you, “Very well, but should you ever need to talk, my door is, of course, always open to you.”

Looking at him gently you nodded, “Thank you Master Splinter, that means a lot to me.” You scratched the top of his head between his ears the way you would a cat.

His whiskers twitched and his eyes widened a little in surprise.

Pausing, you pulled back your hand, “Oh... sorry, I wasn’t trying to be rude or anything.”

He chuckled slightly, “No, quite the opposite, I found it very calming. You only caught me by surprise.”

You sighed with relief. “Hey, are you having breakfast? I can make you something if you want?”

He waved his hand dismissively, “I do not need anything elaborate. However, if you wouldn’t mind getting an old rat a cheesepop from the freezer, I would be most grateful.”

You popped up out of your chair, “Of course!”

Walking over to the fridge you began to think. You’d agreed so readily, but... what did a cheesepop look like exactly??

_Guess I’ll know it when I see it._

You opened the freezer and were stunned at the sight of a cat made up of ice cream staring back at you.

 

“Mrowr?”

 

“Urk!” You slammed the door shut and swiveled back around towards Splinter. Eyes wide, you pressed your body against the fridge.

“There’s a...a...”

Splinters ears twitched, “a cat?”

“Y-Yes But... But it’s body...” You peeked back into the freezer again to make sure you weren’t hallucinating. The small slit of an opening allowing you just enough of a glance to confirm that it’s body was indeed made of ice cream. It’s little beady eyes stared back at you as a small purr resonated in the ice box.

You slammed the door again, “it’s completely made of ice cream!!”

Splinter nodded as if it was the most sane thing in the world to see, “Ah yes, that would be ice cream kitty. If you ask her nicely, I’m sure she would be happy to grab you a cheesepop. She’s quite finicky about where things are placed in there.”

“What??” Your voice came out in a high squeak, “Are you crazy?? I’m not even sure how that thing is a physically possible!!” You realized the comment was a little weird, considering you were talking to a 6ft tall rat that was a master of martial arts. You were beginning to question the normalcy of your life when Mikey walked in.

“Sup chica!” He grinned at you broadly.

“Mikey!! There’s a freaking cat made up of ice cream in your freezer!!!” You were still holding the door tightly shut.

Mikey looked at the fridge and then back at you, “Oh! Ice cream kitty? She’s been here since you got here.”

“What??”

He grinned sheepishly, “Yeah, well... actually it’s kinda a funny story...”

Mikey explained how they had found the cat that you’d chased into the warehouse, and brought it back with them. Unfortunately under his care, the cat somehow managed to ingest some mutagen left in Donnie’s lab. Mutagen that Mikey had also (unbeknownst to Donnie) accidentally dropped ice cream into.

Mikey confessed, “I was super worried, cuz she started to kinda glow and then she melted into a puddle. But hey! After that she just sprang up as ice cream kitty! So now we keep her in the freezer so she doesn’t melt.”

You nodded, still a little iffy about the whole thing. Was there anything here that was just normal?! And... mutagen? What the heck was that?? Probably a question better left for Donnie.

You slowly opened the freezer door again and found the cat still staring back at you purring. You waved a little awkwardly at it, giving it an unsure grin.

“Mrowr!” It tilted its head at you.

“H-hey buddy!” You gulped, “Glad you made it out of the warehouse safe.”

You glanced over at Mikey, “you said it was a she?”

He looked at you grumpily, “Of _course_ my sweet kitty is a she! How can you not tell??”

You looked back at the blob of a cat. Well it’s not like there were any obvious signs of it’s gender anymore... but you didn’t want to upset Mikey any more than you had, “O-oh! Of course, how silly of me. And here I thought you were a guy when I picked you up in the alleyway.”

Ice cream kitty hissed a little at this comment. “Yeah well, sorry I didn’t check. And Ice Cream Kitty is a much better name than what I would have probably come up with.”

Mikey scoffed, “Psh, duuuuh! You can’t beat me in naming things sistah!”

You giggled and looked back at the cat, “Hey, would you mind grabbing me a cheesepop?”

“Mrrraaaawwwr” it almost sounded like she was scolding you.

“Uhhhh, please?”

No sooner had you said that, a frozen triangular piece of cheese, wedged on a stick, appeared in front of you.

“Oh, wow... it literally is like a cheese popsicle.” You took it gingerly from the cats grasp, “Thanks Ice Cream Kitty!” It continued to purr as you shut the freezer door gently back into place.

Handing the popsicle to Splinter, he nodded his thanks, “So, what plans do you have for today?” He asked as he nibbled a corner of frozen cheese.

“I need to go pick up some dance stuff from my place. Just so I can practice while I’m down here.”

 

Mikey’s ears perked up.

 

Splinter nodded, “Of course. Be sure to take one of my sons with you. It is too dangerous alone right now.”

“Actually, I-“

**_*YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWNNNNN*_ **

Suddenly, Donatello slumped into the kitchen. Having really only seen him in the afternoons, you were slightly taken aback at his haggard appearance.

His eyes had dark circles beneath them, and his face was scrunched up into a grumpy scowl of someone shouldering the burden of several sleepless nights. He practically drug his body over to the coffee pot, unapologetically bumping past Mikey.

An awkward silence hung over the room as you all watched the corpse of Donnie push the power button to the machine.

You cleared your throat, hoping to break the silence, “Um, m-mornin Donnie!” You hesitantly waved a greeting at him.

His lifeless eyes glared at you from the side and grunted before turning his attention back towards the coffee machine.

 

_Ooook, not a morning person. Noted. Noted._

 

You watched as he poured the black sludge into his cup and took a sip. It took him a moment before he sighed. After a few more sips, his body began to relax as the bitter liquid emptied into his stomach. His posture straightened as he swiveled around towards you, his face having morphed back into the Donnie you were accustomed to seeing. He smiled and greeted you with a raise of his coffee cup, “Mornin’ y/n!”

Baffled at his change in attitude, you eyed him skeptically. _He’s kinda like Jekyll and Hyde in the morning..._

Too distracted by Donnie’s split personality, you hadn’t noticed that Mikey had scooted his way over beside you. He fidgeted with his fingers nervously as he glanced over at you.

He tapped you on the shoulder, grabbing your attention, “H-hey y/n... I was thinking, m-maybe we could, ya know... that is... If-if you wanted” He twirled his bandana tail around his finger, “I could maybe be your escort back to your apartm-“

“Outta the way dork.” Raph barged in between the two of you, his large hand planted itself on Mikey’s face and shoved him to the side. 

“Heeeeey!!!” Mikey toddled backwards slightly, quickly catching his balance before rounding on his brother. He whined, “C’mon bro!! Read the atmosphere will ya?!”

“What atmosphere?” Raph poured himself a cup of coffee. “Hey, kid...” he looked towards you, “Coffee?”

“Oh! Yeah, that’d be great actually!”

He poured you a cup and handed it to you. Looking around, he noticed the absence of someone who was usually stuck to you like Velcro. “Where’s our fearless leader?”

As if on cue, Leo came striding into the kitchen, a small whistle on his lips as he grinned at the gang. His presence radiating an energy that his brothers had never felt from him before.

“Mornin fella’s!” He stretched and inhaled deeply. “Such a nice day! M’right?!”

Splinter cocked his head slightly, confused at his sons unusually jovial nature, “Leonardo?”

Leo pointed two cheesy finger pistols at him, “Dad! Lookin good this morning!”

He moved around the room until he was next to Mikey. Putting him into a headlock, Leo rubbed his head roughly, “Heeeey Lil bro! How ya doin?! Excited to see what pranks you’ve got in store for us today!”

Leo was usually the first one to come down on him when he was up to no good. Mikey eyed him, looking both confused and wary, “uuuhhh...”

“Lemme know if you need help setting any of them up!” Leo grinned at him.

Mikey’s head was swimming, “Is this a trap? Who are you? What have you done with Leo??” Pushing away from him, Mikey got into a fighting stance, his nunchucks whirling in his hands, “Guys!! Someone’s taken over Leo’s brain!!! We gotta save him before it gets us too!!!”

Leo laughed, “What are you talking about?! I love your pranks! They build character.”

Both you and Raph stared at Leo from the side, stupefied. Nudging you, Raph motioned discreetly towards Leo and mouthed, ‘Seriously, _what’s up with him?’_

You shrugged your shoulders, equally as baffled.

You watched as Leo made his way over towards the two of you excitedly. He slapped Raph on the back with a little too much force, causing the coffee in his cup to splatter down his hands onto the floor. Raphs face turned even more sour than usual as he shot Leo a glare.

Leo was, unfortunately, oblivious to the hot liquid dripping off Raph’s hands.

“Raph! Wanna spar?! Huh?! Huh?! C’mon buddy! Just you and me! Let’s get all that pent up rage outta ya!”

Steam was beginning to pour from Raph’s ears. You watched in silent horror as Leo began playfully boxing his brothers arm repeatedly, as more coffee sloshed out of Raph’s cup. A vision you could only equivocate to a child continually poking a tiger with a stick that had sparklers at the end of it.

Raph growled in annoyance, “Don’t call me buddy. It’s creepy.”

“Awe don’t be like that Raphy!” Leo laughed light heartedly as he continued to punch him in the arm.

“ _Raphy_?!” Raph repeated the name with disgust. He looked at you accusingly, “Ok seriously, what’ve you done with him? Did you feed him somethin weird?”

You shook your head, raising your hands up defensively, “Don’t look at me! I just got up!”

Raph looked back at Leo who was still laughing and punching him in the arm. You could tell his patience was running out, and you gently tried to voice your concern.

“Hey... Leo, I think maybe you’d better sto-“

Unfortunately, the warning didn’t come soon enough, and in one quick motion, Raph’s other fist connected with Leo’s face. The impact sent him hurtling across the room, slamming his back soundly against the brick wall, creating a sizable indentation.

You flinched upon hearing the impact, “ooooooooo...”

 

_That is going to hurt later..._

 

Leo groaned underneath the pile of fallen rubble. You rushed over to make sure he was ok, removing bits of debris from his shell.

Raph snorted, wiping his hands and refilling his cup before he turned to leave the kitchen. He cast a casual comment over his shoulder, “You’re right Leo, I do feel better.”

Unfazed, and a smile still lingering on his lips, Leo weakly waved a hand up from the ground towards Raph, “O-ok! We’ll just, do it some other time then!”

Both you and Mikey helped him over to one of the chairs. Splinter came alongside him, his ears twitching with curiosity.

“You seem... in high spirits today my son. Did something happen?”

Leo’s usual self began to peek through again as he looked up shyly at his father, “Oh, no... I just... got a good nights rest is all.” Leo snuck a quick glance over at you.

 

Looking away, you blushed slightly.

 

Donnie, still leaning against the counter, interjected with a sly grin on his face, “Or MAYBE it’s because SOMEone is going to y/n’s dorm with her today.”

You and Leo looked away from each other awkwardly, neither of you denying it.

Splinter raised an eyebrow and chuckled, “I see! So you are escorting y/n to her dorm room. Excellent.”

Mikey’s face fell, “Whoah Whoah Whoah, **_I_** was gonna ask her if I could take her back! First dibs bro!!”

Leo shot back at him, “Well if that’s the case I still get to take her, because we already decided yesterday that I would.” In a sheer act of childishness that you’d never seen from him before, he stuck his tongue out at Mikey.

Mikey looked at him in surprise before balling his hands in frustration, “Wha!!! Why you little...!!!”

Splinter rapped his cane on the floor, initiating a ceasefire between the two siblings. “That is quite enough. If it has already been decided who will go, then we shall keep it that way. Michelangelo, you will take over Leonardo’s patrol this afternoon.”

“What?? That’s not fair!!” Mikey protested.

“Michelangelo.” With one chastising word from his father, Mikey dropped his complaint. His head drooped and tears began to well up in his big puppy dog eyes as he began shuffling away.

 

_Ugh!!! Stop it!!! My heart!!_

 

You hated to leave him behind, but you also knew someone had to cover Leo’s patrol.

Running over to him you grabbed Mikey’s hands in yours, hoping to put a smile back on his sweet face.

“Cheer up Mikey! I’m sure we’ll be back before you’re even done with patrol!”

He grumbled, still unsatisfied with the situation. Sympathetically you rubbed his big shiny dome of a head, “In the meantime, is there anything you want?”

He wiped his eyes and looked at you with those big baby blues, “Anything that I want?”

You nodded, “Yeah, anything at all, I’ll bring it back for ya!”

He started to say something, but then thought better of it, “Could you bring that game I was playing before? Then, maybe we could play it together when you got back...?”

You nodded, not surprised at the request, “Of course!”

Leo stood up, brushing the remains of dust off his body, “Speaking of, we better get going.”

Nodding, you dropped Mikey’s hands and ran over to follow Leo. Subtly, Mikey clasped his hands together at his sides as he watched you go.

You turned and flashed a smile back at him over your shoulder, “Look forward to me whooping your butt when I get back!”

Mikey’s usual smile spread across his face as he accepted your challenge, “HA! You wish! You’re goin down girl!”

You laughed and waved goodbye.

His hope rose a little more with your parting words. He smiled and waved goodbye until he couldn’t see you anymore.

Once you disappeared around the corner though, Mikey’s face fell. Eyes cast down, his shoulders drooped as he shuffled from the room dejectedly.

You’d asked if there was anything that he wanted, and the truth was, his first answer would have been

.

.

.

“You.”

He sighed. He’d only requested the video game because he knew you’d come attached with it, and he’d finally be able to spend more time with you. He grumbled, Leo was being such a hog. He had Karai, why was he keeping you all to himself?! Whatever. Mikey was an optimist, and he figured he still had time to make you look his way.

_Yeah... I still have time._

 

Donnie, taking generous sips from his cup, watched silently from the side, observing the scene that had just unfolded before him.

 

_Well, well, well... isn’t this is an interesting development..._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! Hope you guys enjoy <3


	19. A Whole New World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little nod to Aladdin since they came out with a Live Action movie ^_^

The day was hot, and the cement sizzled angrily under the searing rays of the sun. The suffocatingly dense muggy air made you feel slightly claustrophobic; exasperated by the weight of your clothes that clung to your skin the way Saran Wrap clings to everything you don’t want it to. Yeah, it was hot, but this was New York, and I’ll be damned if a little heat wave didn’t keep life in the bustling city from pushing on.

Metal slowly scraped against metal, as a manhole cover near a brick building moved slightly. It’s edge raising just enough for a pair of eyes to peek out of the small slit.

You were anxious to get out of the sewers. The heat only amplified the putrid smells of human waste floating along its winding canals. Even the rats scurried through whatever grate they could find so they could reach fresh air.

You whispered below you, “Coast is clear.”

Creeping out of the hole, the two of you huddled in the shadows of the alley, hunched over and whispering like a couple of kids who’d been up to no good.

“How’re we gonna get you up there?”

Leo smirked, “Don’t worry about me. I’ll see you in a bit!” Without a trace, he faded back into the shadows. No matter how many times you saw it, you were always amazed at the way he blended in despite his incredible size.

A questionable fire escape hung precariously on the side of your building. Some of the screws had popped out, and what was left didn’t give you much confidence in its durability, considering the wall itself was crumbling away. You held your breath as it creaked and groaned under each step you took. The handles were jagged and ladened with rusty sharp fragments that were practically itching to give your tetanus shot a run for its money.

So hot. You were sweating profusely, not because the climb was hard, but the humidity was killing you. You climbed the last flight of stairs, the end in sight, when you spotted your green friend leaning casually against the wall, looking pristine.

He smiled down at you with that cheeky grin that you loved, “Bout time! Thought you might have gotten lost!”

“All I’m hearing is that you want me to leave you out here to bake in the sun instead of inviting you inside.”

A low chuckle rose from his chest as he held up his hands in defeat.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Grinning, you bumped him playfully with your shoulder, your damp skin briefly sticking to his leathery hide.

A thought ran past him, “Why’d you come up this way anyways?!”

You bent down, fixing your fingers under the lip of the window, “Just wanted to bypass the crowds.” You didn’t need your fellow dorm-mates asking where you’ve been.

Prying the window open, you put your back into shimmying it up along its squeaky hinges. The windows wood frame stuck to the sides, tighter from its expansion in the heat. You looked back at Leo, only to notice a small scowl flitting across his face.

“What?”

“You don’t lock your window?!” He asked incredulously.

You shrugged, “Not really.”

Maybe it was the stance of his body, or the scrunched up way his face made him look like a grumpy old maid, but you could tell Leo was in full parental mode.

His eyes narrowed in on you, “Y/n it’s not safe to keep it unlocked. This is New York. Anyone could climb the fire escape and rob you, or worse!” He shuddered, like he didn’t even want to consider the last possibility.

You’re eyebrow twitched irritably. You weren’t about to be shamed into taking security measures over something that hadn’t even happened yet.

Hoping to lighten the mood, you teased, “Leo, nothing could be worse than this lecture you’re spouting at me right now.”

“I’m serious!”

_No dice._

Waving your hand dismissively, you muttered, “Yeah yeah, I’ll try and remember next time.”

Leo moved closer, poking you in the chest like somehow that would make his point more clear.

“Don’t try! Do!”

Your back straightened defensively while a steaming pot of stubbornness began brewing behind your eyes. You poked him back, “Hey! Don’t get bossy with me mister. I’m a big girl, I think I can take care of myself.”

You turned your back on him, signaling that this conversation was over. Squatting down you started to crawl inside, but a big hand grabbed you by the arm and stopped you. Pulling you gently but firmly back, Leo drew you close to him, his hands held fast to your waist as his face twisted in concern.

“Y/n Listen, I’m just afraid something might happen to you.” He leaned his forehead against yours, his voice achingly soft as he pleaded, “Please, don’t make me worry.”

 _Ugh. That was just... it’s cheating!!!_ You grumbled. He doesn’t play fair.

You squirmed against him, like a small child trying to get out of being reprimanded with kindness, “Ok, ok, I get it! I promise I’ll lock it next time.”

“From now on.” He corrected your statement sternly.

Sighing, you smiled up at him in surrender, “Jeez, you’re such a worrywart.”

Grinning, Leo brushed his fingers through your hair, “That’s what you get when you have an overprotective older brother looking out for you.”

Your heart twinged as he held your gaze.

“Right? That IS what you told Raph I was to you, wasn’t it?”

You couldn’t tear your eyes away, was he... pouting? You grinned, nah, you were overthinking things again.

“Yeah, that’s right, an older brother.”

Wiggling out of his arms you shot back at him teasingly, “Which, by the way, you are doing a _brilliant_ job of playing so far.”

He rolled his eyes, “Gee, thanks.”

With one leg already through the opening, you turned back, “Would you just get in here already?! I’m beginning to sweating like a 3rd class passenger on the Titanic.” Your face scrunched with laughter as you motioned for him to follow you.

You flicked on the lights, revealing your humble but cozy abode, and for the first time, Leo got a glimpse into what your life had been like before you met them. The room resonated with your energy, and he found himself grinning that you decorated exactly the way he would have expected you to.

“Wow...” He marveled.

You looked around nervously, the place wasn’t spotless, but it was clean enough by your standards. “Whaddya think?”

His eyes dropped back down to you, and he smirked, “It feels just like you.”

“Random and crazy?”

He chuckled, ruffling your hair, “It’s perfect.”

You blushed.

Moving out from under his hand, you quickly tried to change the topic before he noticed your face turning into a radish.

“Well um, make yourself at home. I’m just going to check and see if I got any mail.” Without waiting for a response, you disappeared out the door.

Leo continued to gaze around the room before deciding it was probably best to take a seat on the couch. Careful not to touch anything, he gently lowered himself down, wincing slightly at the sound of the springs creaking beneath his weight.

 

The room was quiet.

 

A little too quiet.

 

His knee bounced nervously, hoping you’d make a speedy return. As he looked around, he noticed that you didn’t have any images or picture frames of friends and family. It slightly surprised him, you seemed like someone who’d have such things.

You returned carrying a handful of envelopes and a small package. He raised himself off the couch, gesturing if you needed help. You smiled and politely shook your head. Setting down the box, you began sorting through the mail.

_Junk. Junk. Junk. Bills. Bills. Junk. Ju- oh! Pizza coupon! I’ll save that for the guys._

Leo came and stood beside you, “What’s in the box?”

You shrugged, “I dunno!” Looking at the name of the sender, your eyes lit up, “Oh! It’s from an old friend of mine!”

“Old friend eh?” Leo wondered nervously, _A guy or a girl friend?_

You nodded, “We try to keep in touch. She’s kinda mischievous, but I still love her.” 

Leo sighed unconsciously with relief.

You grabbed a pair of scissors and sliced the edges of tape apart, popping the box open. A card was neatly placed on top of delicately folded wrapping paper, concealing the item beneath. You tossed the card to the side, too anxious to see what your friend had sent.

Leo leaned his back against the counter, looking towards the window to make sure things were still safe. You could never be too careful with The Foot, and being cornered alone was something he’d prefer to avoid at all costs. Especially with you at his side.

You moved the piece of paper away, and you were momentarily stunned to see a hot pink vibrator staring back at you. Your face instantly flushed as you quickly stuffed the paper back over it again.

Leo turned to see you slamming the cardboard flaps back together. His head tilted curiously, “What was it?”

“NOTHING!!!!!” Your voice came out a little too loud to be anything but convincing.

You placed your elbows on top of the package, as if somehow that could conceal it from prying eyes. “J-just a prank my friend thought would be funny. Ah ha ha! Aaaahh... She’s a stinker that one!”

He looked at you suspiciously, his blue eyes searching your face, “What kind of prank?”

You shook your head rapidly, “I-it’s an inside joke! You wouldn’t get it.”

You snatched up the card and tore it open, her chicken scratch barely legible.

 

_To my innocent little lamb!_

_Figured you were still too busy to bother trying to get any action in that school full of hotties. So here’s a little something that’ll keep pace with your hectic lifestyle. You can thank me later! Miss your face!!! Call me soon!!!_

_Xoxo_

 

You crinkled the card in your hand, flames practically coming out of your eyes.

_Ohhhh she’s gonna get it!!!!_

Leo cocked his head, looking at you with concern, “Are you sure everything’s alright?!”

You tried to mask your irritation as best as you could, forcing a smile that made your cheeks twitch under the strain, “Yes! Everything is fine. I’m just going toooo... put this box away _(where nobody can find it)_ and grab my dance stuff and we can go.”

You quickly disappeared into your bedroom and hid the box in the deepest, darkest recesses of your closet.

Poking your head out of your door, you shouted at Leo, “Hey, while I get my stuff together, can you grab the Mass Effect game for Mikey? It’s over near the tv.”

“Sure thing.”

Walking over, Leo glanced at your movie collection, noticing the larger grouping of movies labeled “Disney” in a corner. You must really like whatever this “Disney” series was. He plucked one of them out.

“Huh...” _It was a cartoon?_

The cover depicted a well dressed monster dancing hand in hand with a beautiful girl in a gold ball gown. It’s title “Beauty and the Beast” capturing the scene adequately enough. He popped out two more; one with a slim red headed girl that seemed to be half human, half... fish? The other had some blue character and a guy flying on a carpet.

How did these all tie together? Leo scratched his head. _Must be a complex series to have this many characters involved._

“Did you find it?” You came out to find Leo closely studying your Disney collection.

“Oh! Do you like Disney too?”

Leo shook his head, “I’ve never seen this show before... it must be good though, you have a lot of them.”

You laughed at him, “What?! They’re movies! Are you saying you’ve never... ok, hold up. We have to watch one before we leave. We have time don’t we?”

Leo looked at his cellphone. “Yeah, we have time. What’re they about?”

“Various situations, but I’d say the main theme through a lot of Disney is putting unlike things together.”

“Unlike things?”

You nodded, “Yeah, like this one is about a girl learning to love a beast despite his outward appearances.”

Leo looked at the covers. _Unlike things huh?_ He guessed it must be similar to Donnie and April, or him and....

He looked over at you.

You noticed his gaze and smiled back at him, almost as if you could read his thoughts, “I guess kinda like you and Karai, huh?”

 

Oh. Right, Karai.

 

He rolled his eyes, “Yeah, guess we’re like this Beauty and the Beast movie.”

You shook your head fervently, “No way! Your story isn’t like theirs at all.”

Leo gave you a sarcastic glance, “C’mon, look at me. She’s a human and I’m some freakish monster. How is that not like the movie?”

You looked at him sadly, broken that he saw himself like that. “You have to understand, the Beast wasn’t a beast just because of his physical appearances. It had more to do with the fact that he had no love in his heart for anyone else but himself. Which ultimately is why the enchantress turned him from a man into a monster, because that’s what he truly was inside.”

You tucked a strand of hair behind your ear nervously as you softly placed your hand over Leo’s heart. “But you... you’re heart is warm and kind, because you love others deeply. Maybe more deep than you should sometimes.”

Leo’s heart thumped wildly, unaware that he was even holding his breath until you removed your hand.

“O-oh...” He shook himself out of his stupor and blushed slightly, a small smile playing across his lips, “You’re making me sound a lot more noble than I really am.” He chuckled. “But... thanks. It makes me really happy to know that you think of me that way.”

You looked at him, searching his eyes for understanding, “I’ve told you this before, but you’re actually a really handsome guy Leo. And who you are inside makes you just that much more appealing. So don’t put yourself down like that anymore ok?”

He saw the eager honesty in your eyes and he scratched his nose sheepishly, embarrassed to be chastised by you like this, “Y-yeah, ok. Sorry.”

Clearing his throat he tried to continue where the conversation had left off, “Um, a-anyways... What movie do _you_ think is more like my relationship with Karai then?”

You thought about it for a minute. “Hmm, definitely Aladdin.”

“Aladdin?” He looked at the covers before identifying which one you were referring to. “The one with the weird blue dude?! Why?!”

“It’s your situation in a nutshell. Two people who (socially speaking) can’t be together, a guy who has some legit self confidence issues” You eyed him pointedly, “AND! He has a handy dandy sidekick who helps set him up with the girl!”

Leo looks at you troubled, “Is that really like us?!”

You look at him perplexed, “It absolutely is. Look, socially speaking, let’s just say you weren’t even a turtle. She’s still part of the bad guys, while you’re a fighter for good. Last I checked those two don’t usually mix, but somehow you’re still in love with her.”

“B-b-But that’s because I know there’s good in her-“ Leo tries to justify his position.

You raise your hand up, “I know, I know. Regardless, two different sides of the coin - And much like Aladdin, you’re trying to get her to notice you, by making yourself the man you think she deserves right?”

Leo shuffles his feet a little. “Yeah, I guess.”

“And you have me! Your trusty sidekick to help you along the way. Boom. That’s the movie. The only thing you’re missing is a pet monkey.”

Leo chuckles but still looks uncertain.

Huffing, you grabbed the disc from his hands, “It’s settled then, we’re watching Aladdin.” Poking his cheek playfully, you winked at him, “Maybe you’ll pick up some tips you can use on Karai later.”

You swiveled around and fiddled with your DVD player. Leo looked at you sadly, holding his cheek where your finger had pressed.

 

Yeah. Karai.

 

This was all for him and Karai.

 

You didn’t have any romantic feelings for him. It must have seemed ridiculous that he’d even hoped for a second that maybe...

He shook his head.

Hoped? Who was he kidding? This had been the agreement from the beginning. He’d known that, and yet still...

He thought back to last night when you told him he was special to you. He was the one who’d misinterpreted your meaning. It was obvious to him now that you’d only meant it in a familial kind of way, nothing more.

It was fine. This was what he’d wanted anyways. Sure, you guys had grown close, but that was to be expected. He’d sworn to look after you. To be your protector. To be the shoulder you could cry on. He’d just mistakenly blurred the lines of your friendship for something more. It wouldn’t happen again. He wouldn’t let it. Of course he liked Karai.

 

Karai was-

 

-definitely the one he liked

 

He watched as you shifted your hair to one side, revealing a teasing glimpse of the tender skin that ran along your neck.

He gulped.

_You’re just her protector Leo._

You sat down on the couch, clicking through the endless trailers of old movies. Leo sat rigid beside you, keeping a healthy gap between your two bodies.

Ignorant of his sudden stand-offish attitude, you leaned back and snuggled in against him. Taking his arm, you pulled it comfortably around your shoulder, resuming the natural way you two would normally watch movies together.

He remained rigid, now suddenly unsure how to act around you.

Would it be ok to do the things he used to? He flinched, of course it would be ok. It’s not like his intentions were suddenly impure or anything.

Slowly, he began to relax, allowing his fingers to idly stroke your arm like he would have done, had he not overanalyzed the situation.

The feel of his fingertips against your skin sent a pleasant thrill through your body. You smiled, despite knowing you were watching this for his and Karai’s personal gain.

“Comfy?” Leo murmured against your head.

You nodded.

Trying to mimic his strokes, your finger drew small circles on his thigh.

He giggled and jerked his leg, “Haha! Don’t, that tickles!”

You grinned mischievously, “This does?!” You drew even more circles, swiveling your finger around to different areas on his thigh to see if you could garner the same reaction.

He grabbed your hand and held it in his. “That’s quite enough, little troublemaker.”

You laughed, “Alright! Alright! I’ll stop, I promise! You can let go!”

He eyed you, “No. I don’t trust you now.”

Gasping, you feigned hurt innocence, “What?!”

He nodded, smiling at you boldly, “I know your kind. Once a troublemaker, always a troublemaker.” His hand gripped yours a little more tightly.

“How dare you question my honor!” You laughed and playfully struggled in his arms.

He held you tightly to him. Knowing he had you just where he wanted, he chastised you teasingly, “Ssshh! The movie’s starting.”

 

> _The opening narration starts, and a mysterious stranger crosses the desert with his wayward song._

You sighed, resting your cheek comfortably against Leo’s chest. His hand released its claw-like grasp on you and he laced his fingers in between yours (as best as he could anyways).

To anyone looking in at the cozy scene, they could have easily mistaken it as a couple settling in for a relaxing movie date night.

 

> _Aladdin (an impoverished man) has just finished escaping the guards. Splitting his spoils with his pet monkey Abu, he noticed two small malnourished children scavenging the garbage for food. It’s a glimpse into the genuine character of Aladdin as he readily gives them his only piece of bread. A few minutes later, the same small children are seen running out into the middle of the street. One of the kids accidentally scampers into the path of a highly esteemed aristocrat._

Leo smiled, already liking this Aladdin character more and more as he single handedly defends the children, and stands against the wealthy bully using both his wit and skill.

You giggled and whispered, “See? Even in the movies you act like a big brother.”

He chuckled and groaned, “Guess I’ll never be able to escape my role in life.”

You nudged him playfully, “Awe come on, it’s not such a bad thing!”

“Cept for when SOMEone doesn’t want to lock her window.” He eyed you accusingly.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” You grinned, keeping your eyes on the screen as you mumbled, “Worrywart.”

He looked down at you fondly. His fingers paused from their strokes to gently tuck a stray hair behind your ear before going back to their ministrations.

 

> _Jasmine, determined not to be tied to marriage because of some antiquated rule, escapes from the palace. Unaccustomed to the bustling activity of the market, she is overwhelmed and accidentally stumbles backwards into a fire swallowing performer. He regurgitates a fireball, making the hood of her outfit slip away. Aladdin, atop an awning, lays eyes on the Princess for the first time, and is instantly smitten with her beauty._

The look in Aladdin’s eyes made you flinch, realizing at some point that Leo had also looked at Karai in this same manner. Gritting your teeth, you forced yourself to stay focus on the screen, unwilling to look over and see if Leo had made the same connection.

He had, in fact.

The first time he met Karai, he remembered being immediately drawn to her, curious over the mannerisms of the elusive female ninja. She was feisty and free, unburdened by the weight of trivial things like responsibility, or consequences. She was everything that he was not, and couldn’t afford to be.

Y/n was right, Karai’s world and his were very different indeed.

A faint heat settled on his cheeks, and he smiled, comparing it to the first time he met you. Beautiful, blind, beaten and courageously fighting to get people you didn’t even know out of harms way. You were strength in a way he suspected Karai would never know or understand.

 

> _Falsely accused of having kidnapped the princess, Aladdin is apprehended and thrown in the dungeon. Alone, he berates himself over the way he acted in front of Jasmine, who he has now come to know as the princess._
> 
> _High above in the jail bar window, Abu sneaks his way in to free his friend, but not before giving him a hefty reprimand for falling prey to a pretty face in the crowd. Aladdin’s perspective of his self worth is weighed in the balance of the law that states Jasmine must marry a prince; dividing him (a lowly street rat) from her, a member of the royal family._
> 
> _He rubs his once bound up wrists tenderly, murmuring to himself, “She deserves a prince.” Sighing, he realizes that his situation is hopeless, as is his chance of ever earning the affection of the girl, no, the princess he met in the marketplace. He leans against the wall in defeat and concedes, “...I’m a fool.”_

Leo winced. Only a few minutes into this movie and it was already hitting a little too close to home. How many times had he tried to convince himself that Karai would be happier with someone else? With another human who could openly share the above world with her. How many times had he trudged home muttering the same thing, that he was a fool for even hoping to earn her love?

He was shaken out of his thoughts as you bumped against him excitedly, “Look! Look! Look!!!! This is where my character comes in!!!”

 

> _Having been fooled by the strange old man in the dungeon, Aladdin now sits in the collapsed cave of wonders, looking at the lamp he risked his life for. Rubbing the lamp, a dramatic rush of blue smoke erupts from the spout, pouring from it a large, loud blue fellow who’s mass dwarfs the small body of Aladdin._
> 
> _Seeing that his new master hasn’t fully comprehended the magnitude of what he has at his fingertips, the genie erupts into a symphony of big band swing and color. Aladdin watches the endless streams of possibilities now made possible with the mere rub of a lamp. Unwilling to waste one of his wishes, Aladdin successfully devises a plan to trick the genie into helping them out of the cave. Even after having been fooled, the new duo develop a cozy camaraderie, sharing even their deepest desires with each other._
> 
> _With the promise of releasing the genie on his third and final wish, Aladdin’s transformation into becoming a prince is underway. And thus, the true nature of our hero ends, and the foundation for the stacks of lies he creates begins._

Hearing a chuckle beside you, you glance up to see Leo looking down at you in amusement, “I don’t remember you doing anything this elaborate to get me ready for my run-ins with Karai.”

You quirked your eyebrow at him, “I don’t remember you making any specific wishes for such a thing either.”

He laughed, “touché!”

 

> _A caravan of servants and performers marches down the city streets, making way for the new and “improved” Prince Ali. The gaudy lineup reaches the palace, where Ali presents himself as a man worthy of marrying the princess._  

Leo sighed, slightly disappointed in how quickly the matter was being resolved, “Well goodie for him. I guess he’ll get the girl now.”

“Not necessarily.” You grinned.

His face scrunched, “What?! But he looks like a prince now.”

You flicked his chest, “Ssshh! Just watch.”

 

> _The men bicker over whether Prince Ali should even be permitted to see Jasmine. Ali confidently states that he’d be able to win the heart of Jasmine, unaware that she is listening from the side. Outraged by their callousness in deciding her future like she was some prize, she storms out of the room, not giving so much as a glance back at the stunned men._

Stunned, Leo didn’t understand, _didn’t she recognize Aladdin at all?_

 

> _Outside the palace, Aladdin is pacing the grounds, both frustrated and confused. He looks to the genie for advice, to which he recommends that Aladdin should just be himself._

Similar words sparked in Leo’s memory, and he recalled your somber eyes looking up at him from the ground.

_“I know you’re trying to be the right guy for Karai, but... but, just remember to not lose sight of who you are in the process.”_

He cringed. Was he really trying to be someone he’s wasn't?

His own question was answered as he watched Aladdin dismiss the genie’s advice, choosing instead to appear in front of Jasmine as a haughty, suave and confident prince. Leo’s heart sank, thinking of how often he put on airs while in front of Karai, showing her he was the confident, unshakable leader that he knew internally he was not.

 

> _Aladdin, having tried and failed yet again to court Jasmine with his princely charms, turns to leave by stepping off her balcony. “Wait!!” Though not overly fond of the prince, she isn’t heartless enough to watch a man plummet to his death on account of her. Hearing her cries, Aladdin pokes his head above the railing again._
> 
> _She looks at him confused, “How? How are you doing that?!”_
> 
> _Swirling around, he reveals his secret, “It’s a magic carpet.” It takes her hand and she blushes as it gives her a polite kiss._
> 
> _“It-It’s lovely.” She giggles._
> 
> _Seeing that she’s finally letting some of her guard down, Aladdin bashfully takes the opportunity and asks her, “You uh, you don’t wanna go for a ride do you?”_
> 
> _She looks at him skeptically._
> 
> _“We could get outta the palace, see the world?” He tempts her with the one thing he knows she wants. Freedom._
> 
> _She rubs the carpet questioningly, “Is it safe?”_
> 
> _He smirks, falling comfortably into the conversation, “Sure! Do you trust me?”_
> 
> _She looks up at him with a start, the words rattling in her brain familiarly, “What?”_
> 
> _Unknowingly, he reaches out his hand to her the same way he did back in the marketplace. His eyes are eager, nudging her to take a leap of faith as he asks again, “Do you trust me?”_
> 
> _There’s a hesitant smile on her lips as recognition slowly dawns across her face. Placing her hand in his, she agrees, now more confident than ever that this was in fact the boy she’d met in the marketplace._

Leo chuckled hearing you sigh dreamily, “What?”

You shrug and nestle closer into him, “It’s just one of my favorite parts.”

He nods in agreement, “Yeah I’m glad she finally recognized who he was!”

You shook your head, “Ah, actually, I mean, I like it because it’s the first time he unknowingly drops the act of being a prince, and is just himself.”

Leo smiled. You _would_ like it for that reason. You weren’t about people pretending to be someone they weren’t, but valued those who were genuine.

 

That’s why he loved y-

He shook his head, correcting his thought.

That’s _what_ he loved about you.

 

**_Knock-knock-knock_ **

 

There was a loud rapping on the door, making you both jump at the same time. Before you can whisper for Leo to hide, he’s gone. You look around, shocked at how quickly he could make himself scarce. Taking one last glance around, you opened the door. The tall, handsome man standing in your entryway leaned against the frame like a model at a photoshoot. Arms crossed, he looks down at you with a self confident smirk that made your skin crawl.

You groaned, _Ugh. Freaking Jayden_.

You weren’t one to judge, but Jayden was as smug as they come, and unfortunately it came with good reason. He was the schools top dancer, and he made sure everyone knew it. 

Tendrils from his dark, wavy chocolate hair cascaded over his equally enchanting brown bedroom eyes. His jaw was angular but soft, jutting down to a carefully sculpted chin that was neither too big nor too small. As he moved, the muscles on his lean figure rippled and flexed under a natural olive complexion, boasting of his rich European heritage. He was, for lack of a better word, perfect.

His full lips smirked at you from your doorway, clearly pleased that you got the chance to see him.

You couldn’t say the feeling was mutual.

For whatever reason, the golden boy had set his sights on you to be his dance partner. Something that did not go unnoticed by the rest of the girls in the academy. You hadn’t ever experienced the pettiness of being bullied, but since the selection you got to witness it firsthand in spades. To be completely honest, their cattiness wasn’t what bothered you. Like all things in life, you knew that this string of harassment would, at some point, come to an end.

No, what really bothered you was this kid. He was the best, and because he was the best, he was smug. And because he was smug, every class period you were with him made you want to slap that porcelain face of his until he learned a little bit of humility.

Unfortunately the knowledge you could glean from him was invaluable, and made it the only reason you could stomach the partnership. Be that as it may, every bone and fiber in your body fought against him.

 

He knew this.

 

And he loved it.

 

“Jayden. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

He smirked. His stupidly, perfect teeth gleamed like a freaking Crest commercial. “Your pleasure indeed. I haven’t seen you around for a while. I came up and knocked a couple of times, but you didn’t seem to be home.” He pushed his way past you into your room, “I thought for a second you might be avoiding me.”

Your eyebrow twitched, irritated he was invading your space, “Maybe I was.”

He smiled devilishly back at you, “Don’t play coy with me. You know, a lot of girls would give up quite a bit just to be my dance partner.” He licked his lips, eyeing you like a snack, “Even - certain virtues.”

You sighed, you hadn’t seen him for weeks and you were already over him after 5 minutes.

“Then go bother them instead since you have so many of them vying for your attentions.”

“Is that jealousy I detect?”

“I can assure you it’s not.” You shot back quickly.

He stepped closer to you, the weighty smell of his cologne obnoxiously infiltrating your nostrils, suffocating you softly like the heated smell of the sewers on your way here. You instinctively stepped back, but he roughly grabbed your chin and angled your face up at him, “I had hoped to have a more willing dance partner.”

You glared defiantly up at him, “Then you chose the wrong girl.”

Maybe because you were used to the sound, but from a distance you could hear the faint metallic scratch of a blade slowly being unsheathed. Your back stiffened, realizing if you didn’t get him out of here, Jayden was about to experience the smack down of his life.

 

You had to think quickly.

 

“I mean... Y-ya know what Jayden?! You’re right, I haven’t been a good dance partner. You’re just, so talented I get a little nervous practicing with you.” Flattery, it was a sure fire way to get him off your back.

His hand released your chin and slid slowly down your neck. He chuckled seductively, pleased to hear the supposed emotions he aroused in you. “Nervous? Don’t be. I’ll teach you everything I know during our practice times.” He dipped his head to your ear and purred, “And in private.”

 

A second blade shifted against its scabbard.

 

Panicking, you forcefully pushed his body away, sending him tumbling backwards out into the main hall. Startled, he looked at you questioningly.

You wedged yourself in the small opening between the door and the frame, determined not to let him back in, “Sorry, just a bit shy about those kinds of things. Um, but yes, of course, practice. We should do that.”

He narrowed his eyes at you suspiciously, your sudden eagerness putting him on alert, “When?”

“Whenever you want!”

_Omg, just leave already!_

He stood, his muscular frame filling your vision as he leaned over you and grinned, “I knew you’d come around my little kitten.”

You cringed at the forced pet name.

He stroked his finger up the apple of your throat, positioning it lightly beneath your chin. “I wouldn’t want my eager pet to wait too long for me. Let’s say this Saturday, 10am in the main practice room. I want all those simple women to see why I chose you and not them.” His fingers caressed your jawline, sweeping them up past your ear and threading them through your thick tresses. You mentally had to tell yourself to not pull away in revulsion.

Shifting your head slightly out of his grasp, you gave him a composed, professional smile. “Saturday it is then.”

“Mm. Don’t be late.” He grinned like he fully expected you to arrive early. His face drew closer as he whispered, “Until then, I wouldn’t say no to a goodbye kiss-“

Unable to hold your composure any longer, you slammed the door in his face, registering Jayden’s muffled complaint that you hit his nose. You grinned, thinking it was the only thing that made his visit worthwhile.

His footsteps grew more and more distant, and you sighed with relief. _That could have been a disaster..._

“Who was that?” Leo’s question was laced with a healthy dose of distaste.

You jumped. “Omg, Leo! Were... were you going to attack him???”

His frown deepened and his eyes gleamed murderously, “If he’d gotten any fresher with you I would have. Did he hurt you?”

He observed your face, running his fingers gently over the red skin where Jayden had roughly grabbed your chin. Leo’s eyes blazed, and a “tsk” rolling off his tongue in irritation. “Colleague of yours?”

You sank back against the door, letting your anxiety drain away, “Yeah. He’s actually my dance partner for class.”

Leo clenched his teeth, just another reason for him to hate the guy. He clearly had ulterior motives. Leo’s blood boiled thinking that this man touched you so familiarly on a regular basis.

“You know he likes you right?” His voice came out a little more snippy than he would have liked.

You rolled your eyes, “It’s Jayden. He literally hits on everyone.” You flipped your hand dismissively at his comment.

Leo looked back towards the door. He didn’t like it. The way he looked at you made his skin crawl. He cringed remembering the way he called you his “little kitten” and “his pet”, like somehow he owned you. Maybe for the first time ever, he understood the rage that Raph continuously lived in.

He’d have Donnie check up on this creep when you two got back to the lair.

“Forget about him Leo. He’s just a guy with a big head.” You smiled up at him reassuringly. “Want some popcorn for the rest of the movie?”

Nodding absentmindedly, he turned to follow you into the kitchen, not realizing how close he was to the counter. His arm caught the edge of the corner, ripping a decent gash off his arm.

“Ow!” Leo looked at the offending injury, frustrated at his own clumsiness.

You came over and saw the blood beginning to trickle slowly down his forearm, “Oh! Lemme get a bandaid!”

He objected, “It’s fine! Really, don’t worry about it. It’s just small cut.”

You wouldn’t hear of it though. Grabbing your first aid kit you sat him down on one of your stools. Cleaning the wound, you sprayed some antiseptic on it, making Leo flinch, “Ow!! Hey! That stings!”

“Oh quit whining you big baby!” You laughed as you placed a bandaid over his scrape. Leaning down, you gave it a quick kiss.

Leo tilted his head in confusion. You smiled, “my aunt used to give me a kiss whenever I got hurt. She said it helps it heal faster since it’s sealed with love.”

Leo smiled, “I’m sure mine will be healed before the movie even ends then.” Looking down at the bandaid, he rubbed it affectionately.

You leaned forward you pecked him on the cheek. Retreating just as quickly, you tucked a strand of hair behind your ear as you nervously peered up at him. “Thank you btw, for being ready to come to my rescue if I needed it.” You smiled shyly.

Leo cleared his throat, “O-of course.” His eyes settled on you with a look of tenderness that would have made any girl jealous, “I’ll always be there when you need me.”

Wrapping your arms around his neck, you hugged him closer, nuzzling into the soft hallow of his neck. “I know.”

Stepping back you slapped him on the chest, “Enough of that, let’s watch the rest of this movie! I’ll get the popcorn!”

He smiled to himself, watching you busily fly around the kitchen. That familiar feeling of warmth spread across his chest again, and he softly repeated his promise:

_I’ll always be there for you._

.

.

.

.

_always._


	20. Mikey's 'Not-Really-A-Date-Date' Part 1

 

High up on the rooftops, where few would consider a playground of possibilities, a green figure skillfully grinds his skateboard along forgotten pipes, abandoned building edges, and low lying billboard bottoms. His head bobbed to the beat of some peppy tune as he skid this way and that. The boys bright blue eyes scanned the area, deceptively carefree in their glance of things lurking in the sinister alleyways.

He might have been carefree, but he was far from being careless.

Even now as he slid from rooftop to rooftop, he was aware of the shadow that had been following him. He wasn’t bothered by it. Or rather, he knew the shadow wasn’t a threat. For now at least.

It wouldn’t hurt to find out what they wanted though.

The figure watched as the turtle skateboarded leisurely under a toppled sheet of metal, their eyes following where they expected him to exit. To their surprise, nothing came out. Tentatively, they scurried down from their hiding place, casting a quick glance around before landing softly on the metallic heap.

Looking around the corners carefully, there was still no sign of the large terrapin. The figure clicked their tongue in annoyance.

“Looking for me?” A clever little voice tickled the persons ears from behind. They jumped swiftly away, blades drawn automatically in defense.

Mikey emerged from the shadows, a sly grin on his lips, boasting of the cleverness of himself for fooling - her.

“What up Karai?”

A smirk snaked across her mouth as she eyed him coolly, “Michelangelo.”

Sheathing her blades, she looked around curiously, “Are you alone? Where’re the rest of the boy scouts?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know? Unfortunately, you’ve run into the tightest lipped turtle of the bunch!” Folding his arms he stuck his tongue out at her.

She looked at him in amusement, “Specifically, why are _you_ here? Isn’t this supposed to be Leo’s patrol route?”

“Oh, yeah, but we had to switch today. He’s helping our friend get some dance stuff from her apartment.”

Karai rolled her eyes, “April’s taken up dancing? What a joke. She can barely report.”

Mikey instantly bristled at the insult aimed at April, “No! It’s a new friend! Your stupid Foot group attacked her at the warehouse a while ago, so now we’re protecting her.”

Karai perked up, a fire kindling in her eyes as she recalled the situation a few weeks back, “The girl who ruined our smuggling operation?”

Mikey beamed that she’d recognized who he was talking about, “Yeah! That one! Anyways, she’s staying with us for now.”

She narrowed her eyes, “She’s _staying_ with you?”

Already on a roll with his miniature tangent, and with a captive audience no less, Mikey whined, “Yeah but stinking Leo won’t let anyone else have time with her.” He glared at Karai, “You need to step up yo game gurl so I can squeeze some time in with her! Aren’t YOU supposed to be his number one anyways?!”

It was an unintentional slap of a comment, causing Karai to grit her teeth slightly, but her face remained passive, “I really could care less who Leo hangs out with.” She smiled wickedly at him, “However, this was all quite - informative. Thank you Michelangelo.”

Pleased, Mikey nodded vigorously, “Anytime! That’s what I’m here fo- Heeeeey!” He facepalmed realizing he’d been tricked into saying more than he’d intended.

She smirked, “I’ll be seeing you!” Her figure quickly disappearing into the thick of city rooftops.

He called after her, “Yeah well!!! You won’t be getting any _more_ information outta me!” His shoulders slumped a little, his face betraying a flash of concern. Should he tell Leo about his run-in with Karai?

It’s not like he gave THAT much information away... Sorta. Well, nothing important anyways.

Mikey shook his head, convincing himself there wasn’t anything to worry about. Taking another look around the block, he finished up his patrol and set a course for home.

 

Further away, Karai weaved down a bustling corridor, busy with the comings and goings of Foot members. She pushed some of them aside forcefully, her mood having slightly soured.

She bit her lip in contemplation. It wasn’t a lie, Karai really didn’t care who Leo hung out with, but it felt like a toy was being taken away, and _that_ she would not allow.

Besides, she had a bone to pick with this girl who’d apparently sabotaged her previous operation. What a stroke of luck that the one they’d been searching for was so close at hand. She licked her lips, suddenly excited for the hunt and eager for the prey.

First things first though, she needed to see that blue banded lover boy of hers. She grinned. It seemed like he needed a little reminder of who his heart really belonged to.

 

* * *

 

 

You peered up at Mikey innocently, “You’ll go easy on me right? It’s my first time...”

He looked down at you eagerly, “Of course! We’ll start slow, I promise.”

Nodding, you positioned yourself on the flimsy, plastic Dance Dance Revolution pad while Mikey hooked up the other one. The screen came to life, and a scroll of illegible Chinese script popped up, followed by a voice shouting the name of the game. Flipping through your music options, you settled on “Innocence of Silence”. The techno beat began and the screen burst into a pillar of arrows while some archaic 3D person danced randomly in the background. Your feet flew to where the arrows instructed you to go, but it always seemed to be a beat too slow.

“Oh come on! I totally hit that one!!” You growled in frustration. You glanced over at Mikey’s screen as he hit all of the beats effortlessly.

He grinned at you, “some people are just born with rhythm angel face!”

You couldn’t believe a turtle was giving you a lecture about rhythm. _You!_ A dancer of all people.

The song ended, and your pitiful number displayed itself sadly next to Mikey’s almost perfect score. You groaned as the crowd on your side boo’d at your performance.

You scowled, balling your hands into fists before shouting, “Again!!”

Mikey’s eyebrow lifted in a slight taunt, “You suuuuure?”

Nodding with determination, you stood ready for the next onslaught of arrows, “Do it!”

You played a second song, and then a third.

 

A fourth song.

A fifth.

Sixth.

Then a seventh. All of them ending in your defeat.

 

“DANGIT!” You stomped in frustration. “How am I missing everything???”

Mikey clapped you on the shoulder, “Wanna go again?”

Gritting your teeth you nodded, “Of course!!” Flames were practically shooting out of your eyeballs as your nostrils flared angrily.

Mikey went to pick the next song but paused, “Heeeey, wanna make a bet?”

Never one to shy away from a challenge, you cocked your head, curiosity getting the better of you, “What kinda bet?”

A mischievous glint twinkled in his eye, “How about if I win, I get to take you on a tour of some of my favorite spots?”

You laughed, “I’d do that with you anyways!”

He grinned, “Cool!” Shuffling his feet a little, he quickly mumbling under his breath, “It’ll be like a mini date!”

You turned to him, “You say somethin?”

He froze, “Nope!! Nothin at all!”

Shrugging, you thought for a second, “And if I win... hmmm...” your eyes lit up, “I get to draw on your freckles!”

He laughed, “You’re on babycakes!”

Setting yourself up again for the next game, you tried to evaluate how late you were coming in to the beat, but continued to struggle. Your brain fought the uneven rhythm of your steps that didn’t seem to correlate with the music, and once again you lost to Mikey.

“Uuuuuuuugggghhhhhhh!!!!! wwwhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyy?????????” You sank to the floor in despair.

Mikey danced around you gleefully “haaa haaa!!! Now you gotta go on a date with meeeee!”

Jolted from your wailing, you tilted your head in confusion, unsure if you heard him correctly, “A date?”

He froze in mid celebration, “Ah, I meant a tour date ha ha! Not a date date, obviously!”

You looked at him suspiciously, but before you could say anything, Raph came wandering into the room. He looked at your pitiful body slumped on the ground, and then at the DDR pad beneath you. His face scrunched up into a scowl as he turned towards Mikey.

“Did you give her the broken one?”

Mikey whipped around, trying to signal for him to be quiet, his hands waving frantically in front of him.

Your ears perked up, “Excuse me, the _what_ now?”

Mikey whispered desperately under his breath, “Raph! Wait! If you tell her that the pad was broken, then she’s gonna know that I-“

Raph clasped Mikey’s face in his big hand and pushed him aside, “Yeah one pad lags about a second behind when you step. We keep asking Donnie to fix it, but he’s been too busy.”

Your eyes shot over to Mikey who had silently begun to tip toe away.

“ ** _MIKEY!!!!_** ” You rushed his retreating back, he squealed slightly as you tackle him to the floor.

Straddling him, you squished his fluffy boyish cheeks between your hands, the vein in your forehead throbbed threateningly. You gave him a forced smile that made the corner of your mouth twitch in annoyance, “What’s this I hear about a broken pad? Huh?? _HUH?!_ ”

He smiled sheepishly, “Oh that! Ha ha! Donnie hasn’t fixed it yet? What are the odds?!”

You glared at him, “You CHEATED!”

“Cheated is such a harsh word!” He whimpered beneath you.

Your mouth twisted into a sardonic smile, “Do you know what I do to cheaters?”

Mikey shook his head rapidly, his eyes growing more and more wide as the glint in your eye became increasingly sinister.

Taking your pointer fingers, you inserted them into your mouth, slathering them until they were soaked, dripping with your saliva. “Brace yourself Mikey.”

He looked at you horrified, “No! You wouldn’t! No!!! NO!!!!”

Your fingers glistened as they descended to the sides of his face, inching closer to the small holes they called ears.

Shoving your fingers inside, you wiggled them about, giving him an Ultra Sloppy Wet Willy. Mikey thrashed under your hands trying to get away.

“NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!” He squealed at the disgusting feel of the slick moisture entering his ear, the sucking sound of your fingers moving about drove him to a breaking point.

“STOP IT!!! RAPH!!! HELP MEEEEEE!!!!” He flailed and begged his older brother.

Grinning evilly, Raph shook his head, “Not this time little bro. You brought this one on yourself.” Turning and ignoring his brothers plight, he continued on his way to the dojo.

Mikey whimpered, “So harsh man!”

His body continued to flail as your fingers relentlessly wiggled about in his ears. Even with all his begging, you didn’t stop until you were fully satisfied that justice had been served.

Pulling back, you observed the panting half dead turtle beneath you. He looked up at you dejectedly, “D-Does this mean you won’t go on the tour with me then?”

You thought about it for a second, looking down at his puppy eyes that were edged in watery tears.

You grinned, “Yes. If you can beat me in an actual game. My choice this time.”

He looked at you in surprise, his shock quickly morphing into a big smile of relief, “Really?! You’re on!!”

You pulled out a racing game.

Mikey’s face grew into a confident grin, “I don’t mean to brag, but I have the highest score on this game.”

You gave him a sideways look, “ _I_ don’t mean to brag, but no one has ever beaten me in a racing game before.”

Mikey’s gaze met your challenge.

 

Game. On.

 

You two sat down with your controllers, both with eyes of determination blazing like infernos. A brightly lit scene scanned over a litany of fancy highly decorated cars, all of which were made for mad speed. The engines revved, and smoke billowed out from beneath tires as hot rubber simulated friction against the fabricated asphalt.

Your cars peeled off the start line, taking hairpin turns through the realistic 3D landscape. The two of you slid and nudged each other trying to gain the upper hand as you dodged meaningless filler players inserted by the game. Mikey’s tongue stuck out the side of his mouth, sweat trickling down his brow as he realized his mistake thinking you’d be a pushover of an opponent.

Equally, your brows furrowed in concentration as you focused on each move Mikey made. He was fast and agile, but his small hesitation was in the corners, unable to fully grasp carrying the necessary drifts through to completion.

In the straightaway, Mikey’s car dominated, and he banked his hopes in its muscle to crawl far enough ahead to compensate for the turns.

He pulled ahead of you, overconfident in his slight advantage as he ragged, “Looks like I’m about to take you down a notch, little miss reigning champion!”

You saw the cocky grin playing on his lips, and an unreadable smile ghosted across your face, amused at the premature celebration on his part.

You rounded the last corner, hot on Mikey’s heels. When victory seemed all but sure, your vehicle slightly nudged his in mid drift, sending the tail of his car bumping against the guardrail. The small yet costly error was enough to give you the slightest window to wiggle through, and you pulled into the lead. The nose of your car crossed the finish line by a mere 0.23 seconds before Mikey, sealing your victory.

You sucked in a big gulp of air, falling back onto the floor, finally able to relax your tense limbs.

“Pheeeew!!!! Dang Mikey! You really gave me a run for my money! I didn’t know if I was going to make it!!” You grinned toothily over at him, but found him frowning down at his controller.

You crawled up next to him and shoved him playfully, “Awe don’t be a sore loser! It was a good game!” 

He nodded miserably, “Yeah-it was.” He sighed, he’d really been hoping to go on that date-that-wasn’t-a-date with you. He grabbed a marker and uncapped it, handing it over, “Guess you can draw on my freckles then.”

You held the marker in your hands and stared at him. Putting the cap back on you put your chin on your hands, making a show of thinking deeply, “So what should my prize be? ...hmmmm.”

His baby blue eyes peered up at you questioningly, “But you said....?”

“Yeah, your freckle drawing was the bet for the DDR game, but we didn’t talk about this one.”

You suddenly had his full attention.

You thought some more on it before giving him a sideways grin, “Ya know, I think I’ll still take you up on that tour thing, if you’re still up for it of course.”

Mikey beamed, his skin practically radiating with excitement. “Really?!? You-You’d really want to?!?!”

You laughed, somewhat surprised at how shocked he was, “Of course!” You took his hands in yours, “Take me to all your favorite places!” 

A blush tinted his cheeks as his hands slightly curling around yours. Suddenly, his brain started whirring into overtime.

“Hey! Come with me, I got an idea!” He said excitedly.

As if you really had a choice in the matter.

Mikey drug you behind him like a stuffed toy as he made a dash towards Donnie’s lab. Slowly he creaked the door open, peering around for any signs of the genius turtle. When he was fairly sure no one was there, he put a finger to his lips, motioning for you to stay quiet.

You nodded, albeit a little apprehensively.

He beckoned for you to follow, and against your better judgement, you did.

You tip toed across the room, two explorers wandering through what felt like a dragons lair. Each step a possible death note that might wake the slumbering beast.

On the far side of the lab was a separate room that looked more like a garage. Mikey pulled you behind a large object draped in a light fabric. Pulling back the sheet, he revealed a souped up go-kart looking vehicle fit for two. You gazed at it in awe. It was...

 

It was...

 

Beautiful.

 

He whispered to you, “Let’s take that tour in style chica!”

You flinched and whispered back, “Is this really ok?! Isn’t Donnie gonna be mad that we’re touching his stuff?!”

Mikey gave a casual devil-may-care shrug, “It’s the family car! He has to share it at some point. And besides, we’ll just put it back when we’re finished!”

You had a bad feeling about this in the pit of your stomach, but Mikey looked so hopeful and eager that you couldn’t find it in your heart to say no.

Clambering into the vehicle, Mikey sat down and spread his legs apart, beckoning you to sit between them. You blushed slightly.

He smiled, noting the subtle red in your cheeks, “Get in angel!”

You crawled in, careful not to bump anything. The seat sat low, and your back nestled comfortably against his body. He strapped you in securely, drawing you into closer contact with his rippling pectorals. Suddenly more aware of him, your limbs tensed. You didn’t know where to put your hands. On his legs? You looked down at the flexing muscle in his thigh and decided maybe placing your hand there wasn’t the best thing. You didn’t need him thinking you were trying to feel him up. Settling for keeping your hands between your legs, you hunkered down, and the engine roared to life.

The vibration of the vehicle sent an intoxicating buzz through your body. Adrenaline surged through your veins, making your muscles tense in some thrilling anticipation of the ride to come.

Mikeys face came close to your ear as he called out to you above the noise, “So you can play the video game, but can you handle the real deal?”

You grinned cheekily back at him, “Guess we’ll have to find out!”

He laughed; the sound was music to your ears, “That’s m’girl!”

Slamming the pedal to the floor, the two of you snapped out of the garage like a slingshot, and soon you were careening down the sewers.

The air rushed against you, forcefully shoving itself into your mouth, making it difficult to breath. It was worth it. The tunnel was practically made for this, its walls rounded and begging for racers to take their vehicles as far as they could up its sides. Mikey happily obliged, rounding the corners quickly, ramping up high along the edge before peeling off down the straight corridors. A rush of color flew past you as the tunnel lights merged into one streaming glow. The nimble vehicle skidded around corners, whipping its end back and forth as it fought for stability amongst the chaos. It’s fast pace made you forget your previous timidity, and your hands grasped his thighs in a false sense of security. Mikey’s body tensed at the feel of your delicate hands finding their way beneath his legs. Biting his lip, he suppressed a smile at the contact he’d been craving from you, but he wanted more.

The route morphed from stone and brick to metal and pipes. You realized you were traversing down a large forgotten pipe, the sides rusted in neglect and decay. Something in the distance caused you to blink twice, unsure if what you were seeing was correct. The pipe seemed to suddenly break off into nothingness, a suspicion that was confirmed when you saw the connecting piece on the other side of a large gap.

“Umm… Mikeeey....” you called back to him warily. There was no way he thinking of jumping that gap... right?? The distance looked impossible to scale across.

Mikey’s foot never let up, and the end was rapidly approaching, making you less confident that stopping was even a viable option.

He grinned, “Hold on little lady!”

Your eyes grew to the size of saucers, the sweat on your hands wouldn’t have allowed you to hold onto something even if you tried.

 

“Mikeeee

eeeee

eee

ee

e

e

e

y

!”

 

The car launched off the remaining track of the broken hollowed out pipe, and in a moment of weightlessness, you were airborne. Time was briefly suspended, the breath in your lungs frozen as you glanced around at nothing but the dark void beneath you. It was like looking down into the mouth of death, but with Mikey you sailed over it, laughing the way Peter Pan would have laughed at the notion of aging.

With Mikey, fear wasn’t an option, and for a second you felt the delicious thrill of defying the rules of gravity. Your rear levitated off the seat slightly, before it came crashing back down into reality. The kart landed on other side of the broken pipe with a jarring thud.

You whooped with excitement as adrenaline rushed through your veins at the thrilling ride. The tires screeched leaving tread marks in their wake as you zoomed down the remaining tunnel.

Encouraged by how much fun you seemed to be having, Mikey decided to show off a little bit. There was a stunt he’d been practicing with more or less success. Rounding a corner you came upon an area that looked like a large circular pool. The edge around it just thick enough to fit your kart.

Coming up on it quickly, Mikey slammed on his breaks, sliding the kart into a drift around the pool. The nose of it leaned precariously close to the edge, but your fear had lessened after the large jump you’d taken. 

The kart whipped around the pool several more times in an endless and impressive drift, until Mikey got a little too cocky, and the tip of the tire slipped over the edge. The car flipped, catapulting its metallic body off the side and into a slow motion launch towards the swirling body of water.

Time stopped, and your brain processed the crash like some movie that you’d briefly paused to examine. This was kind of a weird way to die. You could just imagine it at your eulogy, like some bad game of telephone that misconstrued the grapevine of information passed down,

> _“While she seemed like such a put together girl, we now see she was secretly wrapped up in an addiction of thrill and thuggery. Her path had taken her deep into the participation of gang street racing, a pastime hidden deep below the surface. Meddling in the life of crime, her untimely death is just a reminder to us all to stay on the path of righteousness.”_

You sighed, you didn’t even have a good street-cred name that they could insert somewhere in there to really milk the crowd.

And then, someone pressed ‘play’, and suddenly everything was moving fast. Mikey reached around and ripped your belt off, linking his hands around your waist as he launched himself away from the sailing kart in an impressive flip.

Landing on the side of the pool with you cradled in his arms, the two of you turned to watch the poor vehicle slowly sink. Bubbles rose to the surface as the metal body submerged down into its final watery grave.

The two of you looked on in stunned silence.

Mikey scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, a smile stretching across his face bashfully at the unexpected turn of events, “W-well... we were close to where I wanted to take you anyways!”

You stared at him, deadpanned, “Donnie is gonna make turtle pie out of us when he finds out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully you guys are ok with taking a short chapter break to have some fun and get into a little mischief with Mikey ^_^
> 
> Part II coming soooooon <3


	21. Mikey's 'Not-Really-A-Date' Part 2

Chapter 21

 

The water was finally still, having fully submerged the kart you’d unwittingly sacrificed to it.

The two of you stared at the pool, your faces drawn into tight frowns like two children watching their favorite toy get swept away by the river. 

You turned to Mikey and tugged on his wristband, “How’re we gonna get back home?”

Draping an arm around your shoulder, he flashed you a confident grin, “Don’t worry about it Angelcake! There’s a lot of different ways to get around these sewers! Anyways, more importantly... We’re almost to the spot!” Taking your hand in his, he pulled you along behind him excitedly.

Mikey was like a whirlwind, sucking you into his pace before you knew what was even happening. A part of you, (the rebellious part) appreciated his spontaneity - even if it _did_ land you into trouble more often than not.

As you walked behind him, the tunnel’s dark, almost ominous atmosphere seemed to be heightened by the skitter of tiny paws along broken pipelines. Rats chattered angrily at the unwelcome invasion of their territory, screeching as you passed by. You trotted up alongside Mikey, warily looking around you while huddling closer to him, your hold unconsciously tightening over his hand.

The darkness covered the evidence of his blush as he felt your body press against him. Winding his arm around yours, he laced your fingers together while softly encouraging you, “Hey, don’t be scared, I’m not gonna let anything hurt you.”

You looked up at him, seeing maybe for the first time in the dim corridor a flash of maturity in his expression. Your body relaxed a little, and you grinned up at him the way a kid sister looks up at her brother.

“So long as good ol’ Mikey is here, you’re safe and sound!” He pointed to himself boastfully. You smiled and he squeezed your hand back reassuringly.

After a minute, you mumbled, “...you DID crash our car though.”

“Yeah, but I got you out safe didn’t I?” He gave you a cheeky wink, his boyish freckles wrinkling against his unfaltering smile.

You laughed up at him, “touché!”

Mikey looked around, trying to locate something.

 

Your shoulders sagged slightly, _so help me, if we’re lost..._

 

“Ah! There you are! Sneaky little devil.” He ran up to a ladder that seemed to shoot directly up to the surface. “This is what I was looking for!” You grabbed it tentatively, unsure if it was ok for you to be going topside with him again after what happened last time.

“Mikey... I dunno if this is such a good idea...” you called up to him. He grinned down at you, his face the epitome of carefreeness, “It’s totally fine, I come here all the time!”

He probably wasn’t lying, based on the lack of moss growing on the metallic steps leading up; a clear sign of frequent use.

Mikey eased the cover up, checking for people and vehicles in the area.

“Alright chica, coast is clea- _Whoops_!” A car zoomed by, flattening the lid moments after Mikey sucked himself back down. When the car had passed, he emerged again with a goofy and somewhat bashful grin.

“....ok, NOW the coast is clear!”

Scurrying out of the hole, he reached back down and pulled you out onto the street. “Hop onto my back, we’re gonna take a shortcut!”

You clambered on, remembering not to hold him too tight around his neck like last time.

“Where are we going?”

He grinned at you mischievously, like he had the best secret, “It’s a surprise!!”

You were immediately suspicious, “Surprise? What kinda surpri- _whooOAAAAHHH!!_ ”

Without waiting for you to finish, Mikey’s agile body shot off the ground, scaling the walls with such ease it would have made Spider-Man proud. You could feel the power in each leap as he ricocheted off the sides of the wall into the open air of the rooftops. It was then that you realized you were in the ritzier part of town. Old romantic brick style houses lined the streets, their properties interspersed with well aged apartments that spoke of their rich heritage of old times past. The walls were delicately covered in thin ivy, intertwined with lush roses that seemed almost painterly. Your eyes widened, captivated by the flawless beauty of a neighborhood you never dreamed of being able to see.

Mikey carried you further into this glistening world, towards a high-rise modern apartment reserved not only for the wealthy, but influential people, both good and bad within the city. The building was sleek with smooth lines that cascaded down towards the ground like the tail feathers of a peacock. The apartments rooftop patio was lit in a blaze of vibrant colors that splashed along its bleach white walls, while the steady thrum of the base pulsed life into the sensual party at it’s epicenter. The landing was brimming with beautiful bodies, beautiful people wanting to revel in the intoxication of themselves.

Mikey landed on a rooftop higher yet that overlooking the party. You could feel the vibration of the music beneath your feet as the DJ artfully scratched and remixed the beat, the skilled maestro orchestrated the mood seamlessly, bending the crowd to his every whim. The music switched between various house and riotous dance music, and the people responded with the sway of their sweaty bodies against one another. A small section of the party cleared, forming an empty circle for the extra gifted to show off their street dancing skills.

Your eyes widened watching the various talented people dancing wildly, like untamed flames on the dance floor. Their bodies moved and contorted like pretzels, in a glorious spectacle of defying the natural laws of physical possibilities.

Mikey jumped excitedly beside you, “Yeah boi! That’s what I’m talkin’ about!! This dude hosts a party every other week, same night, same crazy dancers.” His eyes widened when he spotted a particular person in the crowd, “Looklooklooklook! That guy over there is who I’ve learned all my moves from! He’s an absolute legend!!”

You chuckled to yourself, so this is what Mikey looks like when he fangirls over something.

A slender but muscular man stepped into the clearing, his face focused as he looked around at the crowd. A gleam entered his eye, and a mischievous grin spread across his mouth, encouraged by the chant of onlookers.

“ ** _LI-AM! LI-AM! LI-AM!_** ”

The beat hit, and his body erupted into a symphony of twirls, flips, head spins and dubstep moves that made you wonder if he was part robot. The crowd went wild, screaming his name in adoration as he raised his hands, drawing in the praise.

You cocked an eyebrow. _Not bad, not bad._

“Isn’t he dope???!!?! That’s Liam Brown, the ultimate dance off man.” Mikey was practically foaming at the mouth. You smirked, watching as members of the crowd would come out and challenge him, but none could stand up to the man, their moves lacking the agility and sleekness of their competitor.

You crossed your arms, “Yeah, gotta say, he’s not bad.”

Mikey snorted in disbelief, “Not bad??? Not BAD?! A one flavor cheese pizza is what I’d consider ‘not bad’. This guy is like, the hurdle everyone here tries to surpass!”

“Really?”

“Yes, really!”

You eyed the man below you, a grin on your lips. “Interesting. And no one has beaten him?”

Mikey shook his head. “You can’t beat a master, I’m just sayin.”

 

_Can’t beat a master huh?_

 

“Maybe. Until a new master comes along.” You muttered under your breath. Mikey looked at you questioningly.

You nodded towards the crowd, “Hey, think you can get me down there?”

Mikey fidgeted uncomfortably, “To the party?! Yeah, I mean, probably... why??”

“I just want to see if I can give our friend a run for his money.”

“Who?! Liam?! You’re crazy girl!!”

You looked at him with a smirk, “Then it’ll fit in well with this evening so far.”

Getting over the initial shock of your request, a glow of admiration spread across his face as he grinned at you, “Good luck is all I can say little lady!”

 

You laughed inwardly, _Luck? I won’t need it._

 

Maybe your biggest personality flaw (if indeed you wanted to call it that) was seeing someone that needed to be taken down a peg and rising to the challenge. Though, you never seemed to regret it, and frankly you weren’t looking to change that part of you either.

Mikey’s shadow slipped down undetected, setting you gently on the ground behind the crowd.

“I’ll meet you back here when I’m done.” You whispered to him.

“You got it angelcakes!”

 

And like that he was gone.

 

You weaved through the swarm of pulsating bodies, careful to avoid swinging elbows, flinging hair and the overflowing slosh of beer cups, until you emerged at the edge of the dance circle.

The contestant currently in the ring had begun to falter, his steps tripping up on themselves as he failed to produce a stunt move. The crowd boo’d and the man hung his head in shame as he returned to the masses.

“C’mon guys! I’m not even breaking a sweat here!” The man apparently named “Liam” crowed boisterously.

Before anyone had a chance to get a leg in, you emerged into the clearing. A hush fell over the group, but quickly escalated to a male chorus of taunts and elbow jabbing.

 

“A girl?!”

“You lost or somethin’ sweetheart?”

“Hey lady, maybe you didn’t notice, but this area is for the  _real_ dancers.”

 

Once the snarky comments didn’t work, the guys resorted to cat calling.

 

“Why don’t you bring that sweet little body of yours over here? You can dance on my lap!”

 

Your eyes never left Liam’s. A smile played across his lips as he realized you wouldn’t be moved.

“Guys, guys! There’s nothing that says girls can’t participate.” He strolled up to you, his figure an intimidating tower of self confidence. “Well, how bout it? Think you got what it takes?” He cocked his eyebrow mockingly at you.

Without missing a beat you smiled back, “Guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”

A low laugh bubbled in his throat, “Sassy, I like it! What’s your name?”

“You don’t need to know.”

He looked at you curiously, “And why’s that?”

You shrugged, “Because after tonight you won’t see me again.”

“Really? How can you be so sure?”

You nodded towards the crowd, “This isn’t really my kinda scene.”

“And yet here you are.”

“Somewhat against my will.” You shot back.

He chuckled, “Well I hope whoever brought you here forces you to come again. I guess for now I’ll just call you Mystery Girl.”

“That’s good enough for me.” You smiled slyly. “Let’s do this.”

 

Liam nodded towards the DJ, queuing the start of the battle.

 

What started out as small, fancy step-work quickly escalated into flashy leg tricks, backflips and head spins. Both contestants suspending their bodies in the air in ways that seemed almost unreal, followed by a procession of precise impossible moves.

Your feet hit the ground, stomping and grinding to the beat with ferocity that matched the vibes of the music. It was a zoo; the crowd was beside themselves, roaring in disbelief and shouting praises as the two young dancers went toe to toe with each other.

Liam smiled, suddenly realizing that you might actually be good competition.

“Alright Mystery Girl, let’s see if you can mimic my moves.”

There was a shift in Liam’s expression, and you knew he was done testing you. This was war. A subtle change in his style caught your attention, his movements while still vibrant and free flowing, seemed more elegant. The structure seemed so comfortable to you, but you couldn’t place the reason why. His body stretched and contorted in a manner that was both carnal and beautiful that left you caught up in the discreet story he seemed to be weaving through the music. Despite the level of difficulty, you matched Liam beat for beat, your form equally as eloquent as the man before you. It wasn’t easy by any means, but somehow it felt natural, fitting your rhythm easily like a glove.

Suddenly you realized it, why his moves seemed so familiar. He was a ballet dancer. How had you not noticed before? The moves were so similar to some of the advanced courses you were taking, he’d simply put his own twist on them. It did explain why no one seemed to be able to beat him; the steps he took were nearly impossible even when strictly studying ballet.

Realizing his game, you quickly switched up your method, no longer waiting for his turn to end before falling right alongside him. To everyone’s amazement, you matched his movements step for step.

His face no longer held a confident smirked, but was instead sweating with confusion. He brought out steps and moves he’d never before shown the crowd. He called upon all his knowledge as he unleashed a flurry of tricks that held both the grace and prowess of a panther in wait. He glanced over at you, still keeping in exact sync with his choreography.

 

_How does she...._

 

You were clearly no beginner, or even someone “very good”. You were among the elite, and unfortunately, he’d realized his folly a little too late.

The two of you were in a final air trick, halfway around the spin he realized his balance was off. There was no way he was going to be able to land this. Liam broke form and his body slammed into the ground. The concrete bit into his skin, but he didn’t feel a thing, too numb from the reality of his loss. His mind was racing.  _How... how could this happen??_

You landed the trick perfectly. What a sneak, using high level ballet moves like that. You looked over at him, a hero defeated, a king dethroned of his illustrious title. He was good though, you had to give him that. Too bad he wasn’t part of your school, you would actually love to be partnered up with someone as talented as him.

Liam sat on the ground, still slightly in shock. He missed it. How could he miss it? He’d done that stunt over a million times and never missed it. It was his killer move that no one could beat.

He looked up at you, baffled. You stood above him victoriously, a grin on your lips as you reached out your hand towards him, “I see someone finally made you break a sweat.”

The party lights shone around you like a halo, and in that moment, Liam felt like he’d never seen something so beautiful.

He took your hand and rose up on unsteady feet, unable to tune out the crowds whispered murmurs that buzzed with astonishment. _Who was this girl? How could she beat the infamous Liam Brown?_

Suddenly, like a dam breaking loose, the crowd roared with applause, and the circle caved in as onlookers pushed each other, eagerly hoping to get a chance to pat you on the back. Amongst the chaos, no one noticed the busty blonde that had made her way towards you, a cup in one hand filled to the brim with some sugary sweet concoction.

You’d no sooner locked eyes with her when she stopped in front of you, a grotesque snarl smeared across her beautiful, otherwise flawless face.

 

“ _Oops_.”

 

She lifted the drink above your head and poured it down over you. The music stopped, and a gasp traveled along the crowd as the sea of bodies parted, trying to avoid the backsplash.

 

You could have heard a pin drop.

 

Broken out of his stupor, Liam barked, “What the hell Meredith?!”

Meredith’s pouty ruby red lips trembled with indignation as she shot him her best doe eyes, “She cheated Liam! There’s no way you’d lose to someone like her!”

She swiveled back towards you, her long golden locks dramatically whipping with the motion of her head. Her (obviously) enhanced breasts jiggled as she stomped her foot at you, causing you to step back a little, for fear one of them would knock you out. “What’d you do you little tramp? Trip him? You said something to throw him off before the dance didn’t you?”

You looked at her baffled, half choking on the expensive perfume that seeped from her pores, “what?! No, I didn’t-“

She began encroaching in on your space, making you instinctively back up even further.

“Were you trying to flirt with him? Hmm? He’s so out of your league honey. Like he’d ever go for a gross little sack of turds like you.” Before you could snort an equally scathing retort back, she shoved you roughly into the pool you failed to notice behind you.

The lukewarm water engulfed you, and for a split second you didn’t know which way was up. Maybe it would be better to stay down here, it seemed safer than topside with that pack of hyenas. Unfortunately your lungs had different needs, forcing you to surface for a gasp of fresh air.

Liam caught Meredith by the wrist, “Knock it off! She didn’t _do_ anything!”

However, the booze tainted crowd soon began to buzz, the tickle of doubt successfully implanted in their ears.

 

“Yeah, she’s right... how could she win against our Liam?”

“It’s a trick! No one’s ever done it before.”

“She’s a cheat!”

 

All the while, another side came to your defense.

 

“Are you insane? We all watched her, she won fair and square!”

“You’re just mad because someone finally beat your precious prince Liam!!”

 

Liam could see the crowds temper beginning to escalate, “Guys! Guys wait! Let’s all just calm down!”

It was too late. Soon the party goers were at each other’s throats. They rushed each other in a flurry of fists and punches.

You crawled out of the pool, trying to escape beneath the radar of the angry mob, desperately seeking a way to get back to the spot you said you’d meet Mikey, but the crowd was too thick, too wild. Bodies pushed against you, swarming each other like an angry hive. It wasn’t just a riot, they were out for blood. Your blood. The one who dared to disturb their empire. As they pushed in on you, a feeling of claustrophobia kicked in, your breath came out short, and your head swam with their angry shouts as their bodies crushed you between themselves. You sank to the ground, unable to see anything past the throngs of legs and stampeding feet.

Suddenly, a procession of smoke erupted followed by a series of screams and startled shouts, but all you could see was the green hand that shot out towards you from amongst the chaos. You looked up to see Mikey grinning back at you, “Let’s blow this joint babycakes!” Relief flooded over you as you reached for his hand. Like a strong current, he pulled you from the crowd, using the insanity and drunken state of people to his advantage.

Soon you two were scaling the walls, disappearing from the party like you never even existed.

You landed back on the upper roof, safe from the crowd, but your arms wouldn’t release from around Mikey’s neck. He felt your body tremble slightly.

“You ok angel?” He asked worriedly.

“Y-Yeah, just... just give me a sec.” You tried to control your breathing. Your heart was still racing a million miles a minute. As you took in a large breath of air, you tried to remember Leo’s meditational training. Clearing your mind, you felt your body regain some of its composure.

 

_It’s ok. It’s ok. You’re fine. It’s ok._

 

Feeling like you were composed enough, you finally released yourself from Mikey, sliding down from his shell to the ground. You hugged your body tightly, “Thanks Mikey, you really saved me back there.”

“I told ya! As long as I’m here, I’ll protect you.”

You smiled weakly up at him, “Yeah, you did say that, huh?”

The crowd was still buzzing below, unsure of where the weird smoke bombs had come from. In the end, they chalked it up to some prankster amongst them getting a few chuckles in. You could hear the faint call of people searching for you.

 

“Where’d she go?”

“Probably ran away.”

“Told you she was a cheat!”

“Shut it! You just scared her off!”

 

Suddenly a man with a microphone stood up on the DJ’s small stage, his face contorted into a frown of annoyance before it shifted, cracking itself into place with the smile of a gracious host.

“Please! Please, my dear folks! Let us not spoil tonight’s fun over a few misspoken words. I’d hate to have to cancel our fantastic little get togethers because of a disruptive dance off. Wouldn’t you?”

The crowd quieted down, looking amongst themselves with some halfhearted embarrassment.

“Now, let’s let bygones be bygones and enjoy the rest of the evening. How about a little show to lighten the mood, hm?”

The crowd cheered, and the fickle jovial nature resumed amongst the people, their focus swiveling to the parade of performers that came out.

Mikey looked back towards you, “Looks like things have calmed down.”

Your eyes were downcast, and your hair dripped with water, compliments of that psycho that pushed you into the pool.

Mikey looked at you with concern. “Y/n... you ok angelcake?”

Of course you were ok. You were used to this. Stupid girls making a fuss over nothing. You’d been bullied enough at the university over Jayden, why should this be any different?

But it was. The rage of the crowd had scared you, and you couldn’t stop your body from shaking.

“Y/n?”

You looked up, meeting the earnest baby blue eyes of Mikey and gave him your best fake smile, “Of course! Yeah, no I’m totally fine! Super fine! The finest.”

Mikey came towards you, and pulled you into his arms. You didn’t hug him back, keeping your arms tight beside you as you muffled stubbornly against his chest, “I-it’s fine. I’m.. I’m fine. Can’t you see? I’m...”

 

He hugged you closer. So warm. He was so warm...

 

“I’m...” your voice began to crack, and you finally relented and wrapped your arms around his waist, giving in to his silent comfort.

Your small sniffles turned into shallow gasped hiccups as you tried to hold as much as you could in. Mikey’s arms kept you close, like a blanket of safety.

“Forget about them. They’re jerks.” He whispered against your head. “I saw what you did, it was... I mean, that was absolute insanity! You beat Liam Brown!! Like, whaaaaat?!! You’re a legend now girl!!”

He lifted your head up gently, an understanding smile on his lips.

“F-for the record,” You sniffled, “I-I’m not c-crying. My eyes j-just get *hic* s-sweaty when I *hic* dance.”

Mikey laughed, “Yeah yeah, Little Miss Tough aren’t we.”

You nodded, your tears slowly subsiding.

“It’s ok, I gotchu girl.” Slowly, Mikey leaned down and kissed the small tear that ran down your cheek. His lips were soft, pillowy against your skin. You sighed, relaxing against him. He leaned over to the other side, and stole another salty stream that ran down your face. His kisses were warm, like him. Filled with compassion and love.

You looked up, wanting to express your appreciation, and shocked when his face lingered near yours. His eyes searched for something in your expression as he ran his thumb softly against your chin. The air seemed almost electric, charged with an unspoken heat that you didn’t understand.

Mikey’s nose nuzzled yours, and he hummed thoughtfully, his baby blue eyes searching for some answer hidden in your gaze. You could feel the whisper of his breath against your mouth, and it made you almost instinctively lick your lips, your skin suddenly feeling chapped with nervousness.

The moment hung precariously between the two of you, until Mikey suddenly leaned back, his hand playfully ruffling your wet hair as his usual boyish grin returned to his face. “You can cry all you want little lady. Just know I’ll always be here to wipe them away for ya. That’s a Mikey promise.”

Your body relaxed, the weird tension releasing from your shoulders as you grinned up at him, “Thanks Mikey.”

He nodded, “You know what helps me when I’m feeling sad?”

You shook your head.

“Cuddles n kisses!!” He snuggled up beside you, wrapping you in his arms again as he tried to plant a sloppy wet kiss on your lips.

Your hand immediately shot up and covered his mouth as you pushed him away, “I’ll pass on the kisses, thanks.”

He fell away from you, landing on his rear as he laughed jovially, “Hahahaha Yeah, figured you’d say that.”

The slight tease made you giggle, and Mikey’s eyes lit up.

“Hey! I finally got you to smile again!”

Your eyes widened, and an even bigger grin spread across your face. “You didn’t have to go that far ya know!! Keep your sloppy cootie kisses to yourself!”

He laughed at your jab, “can’t blame a turtle for tryin!”

You tackled him, rubbing his head roughly between your knuckles.

“Gah!!! Ow Ow Ow Ow Ow Ow!! Heeey!!!” Mikey scrambled away from your clutches and pointed an accusatory finger at you, “Raphs terrible influences are starting to rub off on you! That’s it, no more hanging out with him!” Mikey huffed while massaging his head.

You laughed and stood up, holding a hand out towards him in good will. Taking it, you hoisted him up onto his legs, reaching up slightly on your tip toes to give him a chaste peck on the cheek.

“Thanks Mikey. I really had a great time with you tonight.” You smiled at him, a mixture of warmth, appreciation and happiness flitting across your eyes.

He smiled back down at you, “Yeah, me too. We should do this more often. Buuuuut, as cool as it was, maybe let’s not rile up a mob of people next time?”

You nodded, “Yeah, and maybe not sink the car as well hmm?”

He laughed sheepishly, “Oh yeah... Donnie’s gonna kill me huh?”

“Oh, for sure. Though he strikes me as the type who would slowly torture you before ending your life.”

Mikey nodded, “Mhm mhm, and he knows my biggest phobia, so he’d be good at torturing me too.”

You both stood their nodding solemnly in agreement.

“Clowns...” Mikey shuddered.

A deafening silence hung between the two of you before you cleared your throat, giving him a quick side glance you enquired, “We’re not in any hurry to get back home right?”

Mikey shook his head.

You sat on the edge of the building and patted the spot next to you. Mikey’s face lit up joyfully.

“Let’s just prolong your funeral a little bit longer, shall we?” You gave him a playful smirk.

He looked at you gratefully.

 

_Y/n is just... so cool. It would be great if I could just stay by her side forever._

 

A flash of color erupted before you. The party below building to its final crescendo as it released its line of fireworks.

The sparkly explosions painted the otherwise colorless night sky. It’s reflection of twinkling pigment shone on your skin as you sighed, leaning your head over on Mikey’s shoulder.

Yeah... it was enough. It had to be enough. Mikey rested his head atop of yours, desperately trying to will the affections of his heart to match the decisions in his mind.

 

It was.... enough. Right?

 

* * *

 

Down below, Liam looked all over the party, but couldn’t find a trace of the girl. It’s like she just suddenly... vanished. If he didn’t have the bruises as proof from the fight, he would have simply thought he dreamed up the whole thing. He looked over the crowd.

 

“Where’d you go Mystery Girl?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little bit of a longer one, but hope you guys enjoy it ^_^ Keep an eye on that Liam dude!


	22. Bandaids

 

Donnie sat tinkering on a device he’d picked up on one of their many scuffles with the Kraang. The odd contraption (no bigger than a small remote), blipped to life for a few seconds. He eyed it hopefully until it began to crackle and pop, the buttons smoked as it shook in the palm of his hand before dying again for the umpteenth time.

“Uuuugh!!!” He groaned, tossing it roughly away in disgust. Of course, he always enjoyed a good puzzle but unraveling the mysteries of this piece was taking him far longer than he had anticipated. His hand traced over the lined paper to his left. Scanning through his countless scribbles, equations, and drawings, he looked for answers, clues, _anything_ that would show where he’d gone wrong _this_ time. But the more he looked, the more it seemed like the information was converging into one giant ball of nonsense. He'd have to start over again. Rubbing his tired temples in frustration, he mumbled, “Maybe if I —“

Suddenly his t-phone blared to life; its caller ID illuminating the slightly blurry photo of April he’d hastily taken in secret. Donnie’s eyes widened as he nervously cleared his throat, trying to instill more confidence in himself than he felt. His finger hesitated, trembling slightly before answering. He placed the phone to his ear.

“H-Hello?” He cursed the small stutter that escaped his lips.

“Hey, Donnie!”

April’s voice was upbeat. A sure sign that things must be going well at her job. He looked at his watch, noting the late hour. Recently she’d been moved to the night shift. The company had pulled all its workers to help with the much-hated once-a-year file cleanup that required various levels of purging.

She would usually be swamped under mounds of paper, but somehow found the time to call him. Not Casey (his long-standing love rival) but him. His heart skipped a beat. _Ok, just play it cool._

“Oh! April heeey! I didn’t realize it was you! To what do I owe the honor?” His body tried to mimic the casual tone of his voice. Tilting back on the hind legs of his chair, he loosely placed one hand behind his head while an awkward grin of false self-assurance spread across his face. 

She giggled.

Ahhh, sweet cherubim's, the sound was like music to his ears.

“I wanted to let you know that work is finally starting to let up a bit!”

Donnie nodded, “Oh, great! Good to hear! You’ve been pulling some long hours lately, right?”

She huffed, “Yeah, they’ve been saddling me with a bunch of late-night grunt work. I feel like this is the first time I've come up for air in weeks!” 

He smiled. She was a hard worker. Of course they leaned on her to help with the challenging stuff. “You have only yourself to blame. If you weren’t so good at your job, they wouldn’t rely on you to help out as much.” He teased.

Her voice whined jokingly, “Hey! Who’s side are you on!? Anyways, there’s not much left. Maybe another solid night's worth, but after that, should be smooth sailings.”

There was a moment of hesitation, her voice cracking slightly before she continued, “Hey, so um, listen, I was thinking - I mean, I was wondering - since I don't have much going on at work, do you think maybe we could start our dance lessons sooner than we’d planned?”

Donnie’s goofy grin had yet to fade, too caught up in the joy of talking to his sweet goddess to fully assimilate that last piece of information, “Mhm, mhm! Yeah, we should start our lessons sooner than pla-....wait. WHAT?!” He jerked upright, the quick motion wobbling his already precarious perch. He held his breath as he swayed for a moment, his hands groping the air for stability before the chair catapulted his body into a crashing heap on the floor.

“Hello? Don? Is everything ok?” April’s muffled voice now a few feet away asked with concern.

Donnie frantically crawled towards the phone; his body prostrated on the ground as he clasped the device to his ear. “What?! Oh, uh, yeah! Of course, everything is fine, I just.......... tripped?” His shoulders sagged in mortification. “A-anyways!! What were we talking about?”

“The dance lessons? For the gala coming up?”

Donnie feigned surprise, “Oh! Right! Your dance lessons! Wow! It’s been so long I’d almost forgotten. Ah-haha-ha!” He cleared his throat, “Anyways, yes, of course we can start! When uh, when were you thinking?”

April let out a tiny squeal of excitement, “Really?! You mean it?! I hate to spring this on you so suddenly, but I was hoping maybe we could start tomorrow night? If that’s ok, of course!”

“T-t-tomorrow?!” Donnie could feel himself beginning to sweat. _Breathe Donnie, breathe!_ His voice rang out an octave higher than he’d intended, “Yeah! Yeah, that’s great! Tomorrow would be great, no problems here with tomorrow. Tomorrow would be just... perfect.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to get in the way if you’re busy with other things...” April sounded more hesitant, knowing full well Donnie’s proclivity to put others' needs before his own.

“NO! No, tomorrow is totally cool! Super cool.... like ice. Ice cold coolness.” _What am I saying?! Shut up, shut up, shut up!_

“Great! I seriously cannot believe how lucky I am that you of all people know the waltz!”

Donnie flushed, hearing the small fib that’d inadvertently gotten him into this predicament, “Well, ya know, we ninjas have to be ready for anything.”

She laughed, “Still, you're a man of many talents, Don. Thank you so much again. I really appreciate you doing this for me.”

“Not at all, it’s my pleasure.”

“Alright, see you tomorrow night then?”

“Y-Yeah! See you...”

The phone clicked, and Donnie sighed before standing to brush himself off, contemplating the situation. “Tomorrow, huh? Just the two of us. Alone. Together. Dancing.”

He inhaled deeply, steadying his nerves. _It’s ok. There’s absolutely nothing to be concerned about. Y/n’s taught me everything I need to know. Now it’s a simple matter of following the steps. Easy enough, right?_

A confident grin began to spread across his face, “Yeah! Nothing to worry about! I totally got this.”

 

Putting the matter behind him, he sashayed his way back to his workbench, whistling to himself as he picked up his gadgetry with a renewed sense of vigor.

 

* * *

 

Leo’s room was almost sanctimoniously quiet, save for the gritty sound of sandpaper sliding against steel.

The leader sat beside his coffee table, buffing the newly sharpened sword in his hand. Each methodical stroke caressed the edge of the blade, refining its shape and sheen. His ears perked at the faint sound of rapid feet approaching his door. Pausing, Leo looked up just as Donnie barged in without so much as a knock, his face distorted in a look of sheer panic as he wailed, “I TOTALLY DON’T GOT THIS!!!! WHAT AM I GONNA DO????”

It wasn’t uncommon for the genius to go rushing about the lair in fits of hysteria, especially if an experiment had gone awry. Leo raised an eyebrow in concern, “Calm down, Donnie! What’s going on?”

Unable to settle his frazzled nerves, he paced the room, looking around frantically, “Where is she?!? Where’s Y/n?!?!”

Leo shrugged before returning his attention towards his sword. It didn't seem like anything was on the verge of exploding; otherwise he wouldn't have asked for y/n, “She’s out with Mikey. Raph said he’s giving her a tour of the sewers or something.”

Donnie raked his hands over his smooth head in distress, ”No, no, no, no, NO! This is bad. This is really, really bad. I need her here now!”

Leo could see his brother was heading towards having a miniature panic attack. Each gulp of air seemed more shallow than the last; his lungs were slowly suffocating the more his mind reeled out of control.

Placing his hands on his shoulders, Leo gently shook him, “Donnie, it’s going to be ok. Look at me. Hey, look at me. Just breathe, ok? Do you have your inhaler?”

He nodded his head vigorously, reaching into his back pocket to retrieve the small L shaped device. Placing it between his lips, he squeezed and took a hit. The medicine allowed his lungs to open up momentarily, but it still didn’t calm the furious beating of his heart.

Leo continued to talk to him, hoping to ease him past the worst of it until he calmed down.

 

Unaware of the turmoil brewing within the confines of Leo’s room, you and Mikey wandered in casually, both stiffening at the sight of Donnie’s backside.

How was it that whenever you tried to avoid someone, they were inevitably the very person you’d run into? It had to be karmas way of keeping people in check for their wrongdoings. You glanced over at Mikey, a small bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face as he gulped nervously. Yeah, you weren’t quite ready to face the music either.

You motioned towards the exit and silently turned in the hopes of escaping without being noticed; however, luck was not on your side. Either that or karma just had it out for you tonight. You were no more than two steps in when Mikey's shell nudged the edge of the door. The hinges groaned as it shifted open. In any other given situation, the sound would have gone unnoticed, background noise to be ignored. In this instance, however, the whine of the hinges rang out almost as subtly as the slow crawl of nails on a chalkboard. You winced painfully as you sensed the two brothers pivoting in your direction.

For a brief moment, Donnie’s face broke out into a smile of relief, “Y/n!! Thank goodness you’re here!!!”

You tried to play things cool, hoping it would stall Mikey’s inevitable funeral that was bound to happen once Donnie found out he totaled the car.

Turning on your heels, you waved stiffly at them,  “Oh! Hey guys!”

Leo looked at you, suspiciously, “Going somewhere?”

“What?! N-no! It... it just seemed like you two were in the middle of something so.... we didn't want to disturb you or anything.” 

Leo continued to look at you, and your resolve wavered slightly under his gaze. Unwittingly, your mouth began to run nervously to fill the silence, “We most definitely were _not_ trying to sneak away if that’s what you’re implying. Ah-ha ha-ha!” Your hands clenched slightly, hearing the mechanical sound of your forced laughter.

 

_Well, this is off to a great start..._

 

You tried to seem more natural by leaning against the wall but miscalculated the distance and instead stumbled slightly backward. Catching yourself, you stood a little straighter, failing at casually crossing your arms and instead settled for placing your hands on your hips.

 

_Nailed it._

 

You cleared your throat, “So uh... what’s up?”

Looking between the three of you, Mikey continued backing away towards the exit. You shot him a warning glance.

 

_Mikey, don't you dare!_

 

He gave you an apologetic smile, “Welp! Looks like you guys have things to talk about, so I’m just gonna, ya know, get outta your hair n’ stuff.”

”Wha– Hey! Wait!” You reached out towards him, only to have the door slam in your face. Realizing he’d left you in the lurch, your face deadpanned.

_Et Tu Mikey?_

Somewhere in the background, Donnie’s voice started in, but you weren’t paying attention, “Y/n, we have a problem! A big problem!”

_I can’t believe he left me!_

“I didn’t think it would happen so soon! I thought I was prepared, but the more I thought about it....”

_After all that talk about “as long as good ol’ Mikey is here, you’re safe and sound!” And he just up and left!_

“...the more I realized, I don’t have what it takes!!! I’m going to look like a total fool in front of her! I thought maybe it was a dream, but it’s not!”

_Oh, you are gonna get it when I get out of here, Mikey!_

“I keep pinching myself hoping to wake up from this nightmare, but...”

You were still glaring at the door when Donnie grabbed your shoulders from behind and began shaking you. Your attention snapped back to the conversation at hand, for the first time registering the alarm in his voice even though you couldn’t see him.

He screeched in your ear, ”IT’S HAPPENING Y/N!!! IT’S HAPPENING, AND I’M NOT EVEN REMOTELY PREPARED!!! This whole thing was a mistake! A TERRIBLE, REGRETTABLE MISTAKE!!! Maybe I’ll tell her I’m suddenly sick, yeah, I’ve come down with boils! NO, THE PLAGUE!”

Your head wobbled back and forth as you tried to speak, “D-d-Donnie!!!! S-st-stop-p sh-sh-shakin-n-g me-e-e!!!”

But he was too far gone to hear your pleas. To make matters worse, as his anxiety increased, so did the strength of his shaking; the whipping of your head now violent enough that you were sure your tongue was in imminent danger of being chomped off by your teeth.

Leo edged forward, ready to take matters into his own hands when suddenly, you yanked yourself from Donnie’s grasp and wheeled around. Your eyes blazed in irritation as you struck out. It wasn't until his head snapped to the side that he even registered the stinging sensation of your hand whipping across his face.

 

“PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, MAN!!” You barked sternly at the stunned terrapin.

 

An awkward silence hung in the air. Your chest heaved rapidly, adrenaline pumping through your veins as you suddenly realized what you’d done. _Crap_.

Swallowing tightly, Donnie gradually felt himself regaining his senses, “Right. Yeah... sorry. I-I don’t know what came over me.”

You rubbed your neck, grumpily, “You almost gave me whiplash D!”

”Sorry...” Ashamedly, his hand reached up to cradle the hot stinging sensation left on his cheek.

Folding your arms, you sighed before looking him over. He was a wreck. ”It’s fine.” you fidgeted uncomfortably, ”Wait here a sec.” You left the room, returning shortly with a small ice pack. Unable to look him in the eyes, you thrust the bag at him, mumbling softly, ”Sorry... For slapping you like that.”

A look of surprise flickered across Donnie’s face before his eyes softened, a gentle smile of understanding pulling at the corner of his lips as he graciously took the ice pack from your hands. “It’s ok. I asked for it.”

You scratched the back of your neck, sighing again, “Look, let’s take this from the top. What happened?”

He went over his conversation with April. You nodded every so often, asking questions where pertinent.

Once you heard the whole story, you patted him on the shoulders confidently, “Is that all?! Donnie, you’ll be fine! You only have to believe in yourself. Honestly, you do so well when you aren't in your head. Your body knows all the moves; just let it flow out naturally.”

He looked at you worriedly while twirling the tails of his bandana around his finger, “Y/n... why don’t you go instead. You already know all the steps and...” shuffling his feet dejectedly, he muttered, ”…you’d be a better teacher than me anyways...”

Clenching your fists, you stomped your foot angrily, “DONATELLO!”

He flinched at the sound of his full name.

“You like April, don’t you?!”

“W-Well...I mean..” his eyes darted away as he scratched his neck bashfully.

“DON’T YOU?!” Grabbing his face, you forced him to look at you.

With nowhere to escape, Donnie nodded, a fresh blush spreading across his cheeks.

Your eyes softened with his confession, and you smiled up at him warmly. “Then you have to man up. You can do this D. I know you can.”

He gulped, the fire in your eyes giving him a renewed sense of strength as he gathered his courage. “Yeah, you're right! I...I..!!” He slapped his forehead in frustration, “Ah, shoot! It’s during my patrol time though...”

Leo grinned as he came around the other side and clapped his brother on the shoulder, “No worries, I’ll cover for you.”

Donnie's eyes brightened gratefully, “Wha?! You will?”

“Of course. What kind of brother would I be if I didn’t help my little bro woo his lady-friend?”

Donnie cringed at the words Leo knew he hated most, _lady-friend_ and _wooed_ , “Ugh! Ok! Ok! Stop! It just sounds weird when you say it. I’ll take your patrol in the morning then.”

The brothers nodded, a silent agreement passing between them.

Satisfied with the situation, Donnie turned to go back to his lab, muttering softly under his breath, just loud enough that you could hear, “Guess I’ll take the kart to her place. It’ll at least save me some time getting there.”

 

“YOU CAN’T!”

 

You clapped your hands over your mouth, looking just as surprised as Donnie at the words that’d come tumbling out.

He tilted his head, confused at your sudden outburst, ”Huh?”

 

_Shoot!_

 

“I, uh, I mean — you can’t... _drive!_ Y-you can't drive after _long practices_ , that is. Your legs will um, seize up from the lactic buildup!” It was a stretch, and entirely not accurate in his and April’s case, but you were grasping at straws here.

Donnie looked at you skeptically, “...Really.”

As you tried to hold your own under the scrutinizing gaze of the lairs in-house genius, a sudden chill ran up your spine that made you involuntarily stiffen. You cast a glance over your shoulder, confirming the subtle but piercing hole Leo seemed to be boring into your back.

 

_Crap!!! Crapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrap! He knows!!! He knows somethings up!!!_

 

Your teeth clenched together painfully as you squirmed internally under his unwavering gaze. Your mind frantically searched for words, sounds, syllables, anything to fill the silence permeating the space; if only to distract him from his wordless interrogation. You weren't even really sure why you felt guilty; it's not like you were the one who crashed the car. Maybe because, in a way, you felt like an accomplice, a partner in crime. And partners didn't snitch on each other.

.... Though Mikey _did_ just tuck tail and left me here to fend for myself...

Your brain brewed with renewed bitterness.

 

_Whatever. Be the bigger person._

 

You tried to keep your focus on Donnie, ”Y-Yes! Lactic buildup. Everyone knows that.”

He shook his head, “That doesn’t make any sense, though... lactic buildup occurs when you introduce some form of strenuous exercising unfamiliar to the muscle in question. What April and I are doing is just light-”

“Donnie.” You interrupted him, trying to stop his logical train of thought that was, unfortunately, spot on. Hoping to bank on seniority you argued, “Who’s been doing this longer out of the two us?”

He rolled his eyes, “You have.”

“And who does this kind of thing on a day to day basis?”

“You do…”

“And WHO is going to class to learn about said dancing?”

“You are. Alright, alright, I get it.” He huffed.

You chuckled, resting a reassuring hand on his shoulder, “Tell ya what, let’s practice some more tonight so everything will be fresh in your mind for tomorrow.”

Donnie’s eyes misted up with appreciation, “Really? You’d do that for me?!” He looked between you and Leo, “Guys, I don’t know what to say… but… thank you. For everything.”

You called out to his retreating form, “I’ll be over to help you in a sec Don.”

_But first, I have a turtle to de-shell._

_Mikey!!!!_

Leo came to stand beside you, his hands on his hips as he shook his head in the direction Donnie left. “He really should just be more upfront with her about his feelings.”

Putting a finger to your chin, you nodded in agreement. “I’ll say. If he loves her, he should say so, ya know?”

The two of you continued nodding in agreement as if the wisdom you’d just imparted had nothing to do with either of your situations.

Leo looked down at you, “So?”

You peered back up at him, “So?”

He started advancing towards you, his figure looming imposingly as he backed you against the wall. Resting his hands on either side of your head, he leaned down so he was eye level with you. A slow mischievous smirk spread across his handsome features as he quirked a knowing eyebrow, “Don’t give me that. What are you hiding now, little troublemaker?”

You stiffened, feeling the caress of his breath across your skin. A warm sensation brewed within your stomach, igniting a slight flush on your cheeks. Whether this feeling was from his proximity or simply because you had been caught, you weren’t sure. Your eyes tried to look away but were held captive in the leaders piercing blue gaze.

”H-Hiding?! Who said anything about hiding?! I’m not hiding anything!”

”uh-huh.”

 

* * *

 

Donnie sat on his slightly banged up chair, soldering together the circuits of the dance dance pad that Raph had unceremoniously plopped in front of him and insisted he fix. Why it was so important now compared to all the other times he’d asked was beyond him.

He gnawed on his lip thoughtfully. It just didn’t make sense. You don’t get lactic buildup from only a light practice session. Donnie mulled over his conversation with you suspiciously. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he was that something was amiss.

He tapped his nose in thought when suddenly it dawned on him.

 

_Of course. Why didn’t I think of it earlier?_

 

He marched over to where he stored all their vehicles, noting that one car, in particular, was missing - the kart.

He took in a large breath of air:

 

**“Y/N!!!!!! WHAT’D YOU AND MIKEY DO WITH THE KART?”**

 

* * *

 

You tensed, and Leo chuckled lightly.

He shook his head, “Ya know, every time I leave you with Mikey, you somehow manage to get yourself into trouble.”

You looked up at him imploringly, but he just smirked and dropped his hands from beside your head, “Have fun facing Donnie’s wrath instead of mine this time.”

You scowled. As childish as it was, you couldn’t help but retaliate. Pulling your lower eyelid down, you stuck your tongue out and blew a particularly juicy raspberry at him.

Leo looked at you in both shock and amusement, “What’re you, five or somethi-?” His words caught in his throat as his eyes settled on your neck. Turning, he closed the space between you before you had a chance to back away.

“Hey! What’re you-“

“Shh.” His lips drew near, the sound of his reprimand was like a whisper, but the authority in its command silenced you completely. Brushing your hair to one side, he revealed a few angry scratch marks. The skin around them had become swollen and red as their jagged edges puckered in irritation. He gently ran his fingers over the small wounds, causing you to flinch.

“What happened?”

His question was shockingly calm. You’d half expected him to give you a lecture about being more careful. You glanced up at him, suspicious that this was a trap. The calm before the storm as it were.

When you didn’t answer, he trailed his finger lightly up the apple of your throat, before resting it beneath your chin.

You gulped. He was too close, and his fingers felt too good. The soft stroke ignited a flurry of goosebumps along your arms, your hairs standing on end.

He smirked, “Cat got your tongue?”

 

_Why you cheeky little..._

 

You batted his finger away before your face exploded, “Nothing ‘happened’! They’re just little scratches. It’s nothing to worry about.”

Truthfully you weren’t sure where they came from. You could take your pick; the car crash, the crazy mob, or that psycho chick that pushed you into the pool. They probably all contributed in one way or another.

Leo sighed disapprovingly, in a way only he could, “Alright, c’mon.” Taking your hand, he pulled you towards the bathroom.

You struggled slightly, pulling against him. “Leo, it’s fine! They’ll heal! Stop being such a worrywart!”

He turned back towards you, “Listen, we can either do this the easy way or the hard way. You pick.”

There it was. That parental look. There really wasn’t anything that set your stubborn mode into higher gear quite like that look he could give you.

You jerked your hand away stubbornly. Perhaps the slight pursing of your lips didn’t help your situation as Leo stalked towards you, “Alright, we’ll do this the hard way then.”

You turned, frantic to escape, but got no more than a step away before you felt his large arms encompass your waist. He tugged you back and tossed you over his shoulder like a rag doll, your rear jutting up in the air in the most unladylike manner.

You banged against his shell, “Excuse you!!! Put me down right now!!! If you don’t release me, you’ll regret it!!! I’ll… I’ll… Grawwr!!!!” you flailed indignantly against him.

You felt your belly shake as his shoulders trembled beneath you with ill-concealed laughter at your distress.

“Are you laughing at me???”

Leo openly giggled now, his cheeks stretching into a playful smile, “Sorry, hahaha! It’s just; sometimes when you get mad, you kinda remind me of like…. like a really fluffy kitten. It’s little furry paws all up, like ‘rawr!’. Hahaha! How can I take that seriously??”

 

_A kitten??? How insulting! You could get angry! Didn’t he see you slap Donnie just a while ago??_

 

Grumbling, you sagged dejectedly against him, knowing it was pointless to fight. Though, as your body swayed over his shoulder with each step, you couldn’t help but grin a little at the mental image he had of you.

Passing through the wall mat, Leo set you down on the bathroom countertop, his body shifting your legs apart as he situated himself between them. Reaching behind you, he grabbed the medical kit; his neck close enough that you could see the roughness of his skin, it’s texture different from your own. Your nose could have easily nuzzled against it, if only you’d had the guts to do so. Straightening himself, he popped the lid open and rummaged around in the container until he found the antiseptic and box of bandaids.

You huffed, though your edge had dissipated greatly from before, ”You don't have to baby me ya know. I'm not a child.”

He chuckled, ”Says the girl who just pulled her eyelid down, stuck her tongue out at me and blew a raspberry.”

You folded your arms over your chest, ”W-well... You asked for it.”

”And now you're using childish reasoning.”

You glared up at him only to see him smirking down at you.

He rubbed his thumb against your chin affectionately, his eyes softening as his gaze melted you like butter, ”Y/n...” You shuddered at the sound of your name rolling off his tongue like a caress, ”Let me take care of you. I enjoy doing it.” His fingers traced down the side of your cheek gently.

Your face flushed at his touch.

 

_Ugh!! Was there any way to make your face NOT do that every time he touched you??_

 

You looked away, embarrassed at his words and your reaction to them. You straightened and pulled your hair to the side in response.

He smiled at your wordless submission.

Taking a warm rag, he dabbed the offending areas gently, cleaning the marks thoroughly before patting them dry. The antiseptic gel squelched onto his finger, its medicinal aroma reaching your nostrils first. It smelled like aloe. You twitched slightly as he began to spread to cold substance on your skin. He grinned, biting his lip slightly as an idea popped into his head. Right as he finished, he blew a soft puff of air over the newly applied ointment, making you involuntarily gasp and place your hands on his chest. He chuckled, a low heady sound that seemed to come from the pit of his stomach.

“I’ve noticed this about you. Your neck is quite sensitive, isn’t it?” He whispered next to your ear.

Your heart seemed to thrum a million miles a minute. A heat slowly began to make its way up your neck as you stuttered out, “W-w-What??? No!!!!” You pushed on his chest, trying (and failing) to create some space between your bodies.

He laughed as he slid his other hand along the opposite side of your throat, combing his fingers up into your thick locks. “Are you embarrassed?” His voice lowered seductively, “Then consider this your punishment for lying to me about not hiding anything.”

You flushed, “J-just put the bandaid on already!”

He grinned, enjoying the soft pink that dusted your cheeks because of him. The sound of plastic being slowly stripped away from its adhesive crinkled softly between you two. You’d never admit it, but he was right, you liked the feeling of his fingers running along your neck, even if it was only to place bandages on your wounds. They were soft and gentle, touching you like you were some precious gift that deserved to be cherished. Loved. You looked up at him, your eyes searching his, hoping to see the same thing you felt for him reflected back. He smiled down at you, unaware of turbulent feelings he’d awakened within your heart. Finishing, Leo stepped back and looked at his handiwork proudly. 

You sighed. Sure the scratches would heal faster now, but your pride had been wounded beyond repair. You sat in front of him, a blushing mess as you gingerly touched the bandaged area. Unable to look at him you mumbled a soft “Thank you.”

Grabbing what little courage you had left, you gave him a quick side glance before gently teasing, “Always the mother hen, eh?”

He smiled, though a part of him slightly cringed at the title, “Yes. And while I’m in the mode, need I remind you to please be more careful when you’re out and about with Mikey.”

You rolled your eyes. _Ah. There it was. The lecture._

“And don’t you roll your eyes at me!”

“Yes mom.”

Leo grit his teeth. You could tell he was about to launch into a full-scale lecture when you heard the familiar screech from across the lair:

 

**“MIKEY!!!! Y/N!!!! GET IN HERE RIGHT NOW AND EXPLAIN YOURSELVES!!!”**

 

You straightened and grinned at Leo awkwardly, “Guess that’s my queue.”

Leo watched as you rushed from the room to whatever unspeakable doom you’d have to face with Donnie. His eyes fell to the crinkled, used bandaid packages on the counter. He sighed to himself, blushing slightly at the memory of your embarrassed face as he teased you.

 

_What am I doing…_

 

His hands clenched as he reminded himself: _You're just her protector. Get it through your head._

Another burst came from Donnie’s lab, **“YOU DID WHAT???????”**

 

Leo’s eyes raised upward as a helpless grin spread across his face. Guess it wouldn’t hurt to save two little siblings from an untimely death. Putting the medicine box away, along with the feelings he was unwilling to address, Leo left the room in pursuit of becoming the protector you needed right now in the face of his brainy brothers' wrath.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG FINALLY!!!! Thank you everyone for your patience with this chapter and how long it took to post it!!! ^_^ Sorry if it's not over the top amazing, but a piece of this was necessito for something later on (heehee)


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